For Passover, brisket ... and pizza?

Passover doesn't have to mean tasteless brisket or leaden matzoh balls. Try a few of Joe Carver's innovative recipes for the holiday this year.

First, here's his Manischewitz contest-winning recipe for Falafel Pizza.

FALAFEL PIZZA

1 box falafel mix

1 jar hummus

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cucumber

4 ounces black olives

4 ounces stuffed green olives

1 kosher dill pickle

2 tablespoons dried or chopped fresh oregano

1 tomato

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a broiler to high. Prepare falafel mix and hummus according to package directions. Season hummus with salt and pepper to taste. Thinly slice the cucumber, pickle and olives.

Coat a round pan with half the olive oil. Spread falafel mixture 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick over the pan like a crust and brush top with remaining olive oil. Place falafel under the broiler for 3 minutes and turn to broil for another 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Top this pizza "crust" with hummus mixture, spreading evenly, then sliced cucumbers, olives, pickle and tomato. Sprinkle with oregano. Cut into 16 to 18 wedges and serve at room temperature.

PASSOVER BRISKET

One 6-pound brisket

2 packages onion soup mix

1 cup water

Rub mixture:

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon black pepper, or

to taste

Empty one packet soup mix into the bottom of a roasting pan (kosher for Passover). Spread mix over bottom of pan. Rub brisket with spice rub and lay flat in pan. Cover top of brisket with second soup mix and add the water.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 300 degrees for 3 to 4 hours, until fork tender. Allow to cool, then slice and return to the pan, where gravy will have formed from the cooking juices. Serve hot. Serves 4 to 6.

PASSOVER PANCAKES

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch salt

1/3 cup cake meal, plus 1 tablespoon

Whisk milk, olive oil, eggs, vanilla and salt together. Slowly incorporate cake meal to make a smooth batter. Allow to rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before using.

When ready, spray a crepe pan with vegetable spray and heat on medium-high. Ladle enough batter to just cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of batter. When the edges of the pancake begin to curl, turn pan upside down and place crepe on wax paper. Continue process, separating each crepe with a piece of wax paper. Makes about 12 pancakes.

Note: Carver uses these pancakes in place of noodles for Passover lasagna.

The crepes also can be used traditionally as blintzes filled with fruit or other filling. Carver stuffs them with a potato mix, brushes one end of a crepe with olive oil or egg wash, rolls it and bakes it like a knish. He has also used them as a thin pizza-crust dough.)

PASSOVER PIZZA

1 cup warm water

1 cup cake meal

1 egg

Dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Spread the dough to half-inch thickness in a round pan that has been coated with either olive oil or vegetable spray. Brush the top of dough with either vegetable spray or olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Using a second pan, flip the dough onto this new pan, brush this side with oil and cook an additional 10 minutes. When ready, add desired toppings and cheese, then return to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Slices into 8 pieces. Serves 2 to 4.