Making Matzo

Making Matzo is an annual tradition that's part of the Passover Holiday. There are a lot of similarities between Passover and Easter. Both are spring holidays that focus on new life and history.

Structure and Order are important parts of the Passover Holiday. Order is intended to help reinforce family and tradition. It's my favorite holiday because of the numerous steps that involve family. Both in conversation and seasonal adjustments like cleaning the house and gathering a first harvest of herbs from the garden.

The process for making Matzo is simple. Especially if you don't require all the strict rules... such as that once ingredients are mixed you only have 14 minutes to mix/bake. Or, that the process be overseen by a learned member of the community.

Thanks for taking a look... and if nothing else you'll learn here how to make simple crackers!

• Flour
• Water
• Salt
• Optional... Fat (oil, shortening), Seeds (whole flax is best --see later step, no legumes)
• Kitchenaid... no way required but always helpful (shown on amazon)

If you've never made a dough you'll have to first get comfortable with mixing flour and water... the trick is to mix until you have a dough. That can sound intimidating but it's very simple. Mix enough flour with water until it is dry enough that you can start rolling it on a floured surface. From there, work the dough until it is not longer damp to the touch... not dry. just not damp.

Along the way add salt. More than a dash... but not too much.

Add fat if you want the matzoh to be better.

I roll mine out using either an old jar or wine bottle.

How Thick?

The general idea is to roll it thin.
I add flax seeds... it provides a guide. you can't over flatten because the seeds are in place.

Use a fork to tap out a line of holes. This prevents the air bubbles from rising in the dough. Matzo should be flat. A few bubbles won't hurt but appearances matter for some crowds.

Hotter the better. I set mine at 450F. You could go as hot as you can handle moving the dough in and out. They are thin and bake fast. Pay attention to where the matzo is in relation to the burners.

The final product is delicious. There are no preservatives... if you've read any of my other bread posts you know I typically use 50/50 water to milk. That effectively doubles the shelf life. For matzoh expect 3-4 days but know that it loses it's crunch after 1-2. Seal up tight!

Great along with a light lunch or as apart of a remote seder!

Thanks for following through the post. Again, Enjoy! --Jeff

If you've made it this far you might like a few others...

• Challah Focaccia - delicious variation on traditional challah
• Babka Basics - the perfect dessert loaf
• Tea Eggs - looking for a flavorful variation to add to your Seder?