When I was growing up it seemed reasonably easy to follow . My mothers' family said Flyshig to describe meaty foods and my father's family said Flayshig. We used to laugh at Dad for his funny pronunciation because the kitchen was strictly our mothers' domain and meat was Flyshig and that was the way all the women in the house (Mum, Gillian and me) pronounced it, so he was outnumbered! However we pronounced Beigal and Kneidel....with an "ay" sound, and I never thought anything of it. Until I met David, who was a Londoner. He said Baigal (bygal) and Knaidal (knydal) . One night when we were having Sunday night supper, I asked him if he wanted Vosht (salami) and Eggs, he didn't know what it was until I showed him a stick and he said "Oh, Vusht!" That was the way he said it at home.
It was David's Mum, Fay who taught me how to make Kneidels. They didn't feature on the menu on Friday night in our house but once I spent a few Shabbats at my future parents in law, I learned that they were obligatory. So I learned how to make them. It was quite tricky because Fay didn't use measurements...she just shook in the ingredients straight from their packets...but her kneidels were wonderful so she must have done something right. It was a bit disconcerting that she called this shaking from the packet "shitting"...but she is a Jewish Mrs Malaprop so I just put it down to one of her mispronunciations. I soon got used to being told to "shit" salt! I just say it without much thought anymore but realise it can be quite shocking to the uninitiated. I have learned now to translate for my mother in law, who can be quite hilarious...for example, she once told David he was driving like Fred Monsoon..she meant Nigel Mansell. She must be the only person who calls a strawberry a Trushkafke!
A lot of people complain that they can't make fluffy Kneidels, this is because they use too much Matzo meal, which make the balls too solid. This is how I do it and I guarantee you fluffy balls every time. I'm basing this on a 4 egg mix which makes about 20 or so balls, enough for eight with leftovers. It's not really worth making less, and they freeze beautifully.
4 large eggs
Salt and ground white pepper (don't use black pepper unless you like speckles in your kneidels!)
1 large ladleful cold chicken soup. (This makes the kneidels super tasty. Just set some soup aside.)
Medium Matzo meal
Ground Almonds -essential for fluffy kneidels.
Put the kettle on
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
Whisk in the chicken soup.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add equal measures of matzo meal and ground almonds until the mixture just begins to hold together.
At this point let the mixture rest for about ten minutes. If, after this time the mixture is still too loose, add in a little more Matzo meal and ground almonds..then leave another five minutes. This allows the meal and almonds to swell and make this mixture firm.
Pour boiling water from kettle into a large pot and bring to boil. Repeat..you need a lot of water in order to give the kneidels plenty of room to float.
Wet your hands and form into small balls then gently roll into the pot of boiling water.
When the kneidels are cooked they will float to the top of the boiling water.
When they are all cooked, pour into a colander to drain.
Either tip drained kneidels straight into the chicken soup, or toss them in a little sunflower oil ( to stop them sticking) and allow to cool. Once cool, they can be frozen.
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