[2] Gil Marks in his Encyclopedia of Jewish Food asserts that matzah brei as a fried matzah-and-egg dish originated in North America.

[3] However, egg-based recipes began to be published in early Jewish-American cookbooks, including Aunt Babette's (1889 edition) and The Settlement Cook Book (1901).

[4] Typically the dry matzah is broken into pieces, briefly softened in water or milk, mixed with beaten eggs, and fried in a skillet.

Savory recipes add salt, pepper, onions, or sauerkraut to the matzah and egg, and the mixture may be fried in schmaltz.

[4][3] The cooked dish is often topped with any of the following: jam, honey, cinnamon and sugar, syrup, applesauce, sour cream, yogurt, salt and pepper, or garlic powder.