With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves. (Exodus 12:35)
Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt. (Deuteronomy 16:3)
When the Hebrews were leaving Egypt they had to leave in such a hurry that they had no time to let their bread rise; they packed a flatbread for their journey called Matzah. To remember the Passover every year, Jews are required (Exodus 12) for seven days to eat no leavened foods and remove all leaven from their homes. Leaven represents sin so taking all the leaven out of a home is symbolic for taking all the sin out of a home. Instead of fluffy rolls, bread, or cake, its tradition to eat lots of Matzah.
Eventhough Matzah is known as the “bread of affliction,” it’s actually yummy, like a giant cracker. Matzah can be eaten a million different ways. You can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with Matzah or spread Nutella (chocolate in a jar) on a piece. You can make Passover S’mores with Matzah or turn it into an addictive toffee candy. You can even fry it and eat it like a pancake or turn it into a thin crust pizza! Whatever you do, having a little fun with Matzah is an important part ofthe Passover experience!
Passover S’mores
Matzah
Chocolate Bar
Marshmallows
Instead of graham crackers you can use Matzah to make a “kosher for passover” version of this gooey trio. Roast a marshmallow and put it between two pieces of Matzah with a square of chocolate. Enjoy!
Toffee Matzah Crunch
4 to 5 pieces of Matzah
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Toppings, as desired
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the Matzah in one layer on the baking sheet. Set aside.
In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue to cook for an additional three minutes, still stirring, until thickened and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and pour over the Matzah, spreading an even layer with a spatula. BE CAREFUL! The caramel is hot as lava!
Put the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate over the pan. Let it sit for five minutes, then spread the now-melted chocolate evenly with a spatula. You can leave it just as is or add your favorite toppings while the chocolate is still melted. Refigerate until the caramel and chocolate are hard. Break it into candy-size pieces.
Fried Matzah (Matzah Brie)
For each serving:
1 egg
1 sheet of matzoh
Salt & pepper (to taste)
Butter or margarine
Sugar (to taste)
Cinnamon – Sugar sprinkled over the top (for sweet version)
Herbs, onion, garlic, sour cream (for savory version)
Start by breaking up the Matzah into pieces and running it under cold water until it’s soft.
Beat the eggs, adding a little salt to taste. If this is for a salty dish, you can add herbs, onions, pepper, or garlic. If you want a sweet breakfast dish just add a little sugar.
Transfer the mix to a hot, well buttered skillet, and cook until done, turning once. Keep the heat down and check regularly so you don’t burn it. It may be easier to cut the Matzah into quarters so it is easier to turn. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle the top with powdered sugar or a cinnamon and sugar mix. You can also put strawberries or other fruits on top. If you choose the salty version, serve with a scoop of sour cream.
Matzah Pizza
1 pound matzah , broken up
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup oil
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 tsp. chopped basil
2 or 3 cups shredded mozzarella
Kosher salt
cracked black pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Soak the matzah for 10 minutes in warm water and squeeze. Add the eggs, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Press the mixture out on a pan, leaving a little edge on the sides. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
Drop a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and saute the onion and garlic. Add the tomato paste and 2 cans worth of water, season with basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes and pour over the crust. Sprinkle with plenty of mozzarella.
Bake in hot oven until cheese is bubbly (about 15 minutes). You can top the pizza with veggies, or any of your other favorites.
