Collective
escape
Homemade
matzah
DAHLIA HEYMAN
┃
Matzah, of course, is the true staple of Passover. Gefilte fish, brisket, and even matzah ball soup can come on or off your menu, but without matzah it just isn’t a seder. Unleavened bread is also the only food we invariably carry with us past the first two nights, gently reminding us through all seven days that we are still engaged in this ritual.
When I sat down to write this recipe, I thought it would be easy—matzah, after all, is just two ingredients, flour and water, so the only variables should be ratio, temperature, and technique. In reality, it turned out to be the hardest to get right.
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FLOUR
WATER
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ratio of flour to water ought to be roughly 3–1 (by volume), although this may vary slightly based on humidity. If you are using 3 cups of flour, you should be adding roughly 1 cup of water; for 2 cups of flour, you should be adding roughly ⅔ a cup, and so on.
If you have a stand mixer, you can add the flour first, then add the water slowly, allowing space between pours for the water to be incorporated. A good rule of thumb is to break up every ⅓ cup into 3 smaller pours.
If you do not have a stand mixer, you can do this with your hands in a bowl. Use one hand to incorporate water and flour while using the other to pour. Once all of the water has been added, use both hands to knead until it becomes a consistent dough.
On a floured surface, roll out your matzoh into its desired shape. Be creative! It doesn’t have to be perfectly circular or rectangular, and inconsistencies can be beautiful. It does, however, need to be very thin: 2 or 3 millimeters at most.
Gently perforate the matzoh dough thoroughly and evenly with a fork. The fork marks will ensure that the bubbles in your final product will stay small and even throughout.
Transfer the dough to a baking sheet. I like to use parchment paper to line the tray, but you can use a neutral oil if you prefer.
Slide the pan into the oven’s middle rack and close the door. Cook times will vary based on moisture levels and the thickness of your matzah, so check on its progress every 2 minutes or so. It should be done in 4–10 minutes.
When your matzah is golden brown, it’s ready to eat! You can sprinkle kosher salt if you like, and a drizzle of olive oil is always nice. Conversely, you can throw it in a blender (or smash in a ziploc) to create your own matzah meal.