Nanny Fela was the quintessential Yiddishe Bubbe to my children, Lawrence and Sally, who are now grown and married with children of their own. They have the fondest memories of Nanny Fela’s bubbeleh, which they always requested for breakfast when they visited her in her bungalow in the Catskills. My son describes the bubbeleh as a pancake, omelet hybrid, reminiscent of a fluffy omelet. Nanny Fela first made them for Passover, but they became a year round favorite. They were light and fluffy with a melt in your mouth quality. Bubbeleh in Yiddish means “little one” or “sweetie”.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, separated
- salt
- pepper
- 1 heaping Tbsp matzah meal
- 1 Tbps butter, margarine or vegetable spray
- berries of choice, optional
- confectioner’s sugar, optional
With a fork or whisk, beat the egg yolks. Add salt and pepper to taste. With a whisk or electric hand beater, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolks along with the matzah meal.
Heat the butter, margarine or vegetable spray in a non-stick skillet. When the butter starts to sizzle, carefully add the batter into the skillet.
Cook for a couple of minutes, or until the bottom of the bubbeleh is golden, then gently flip and cook for another minute or two. Slide the bubbeleh onto a plate and serve immediately or it will deflate.
If desired, garnish with some berries and confectioner’s sugar. You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe. Nanny Fela made these one at a time.
Makes 1 serving.
