Bring on the Matzo! It’s Passover from Monday, April 10, until Tuesday, April 18, so that means leavened bread is out of the question for our Jewish friends. That’s when Matzo, which is unleavened bread, comes in.
Passover, or Pesach, is the commemoration of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt after generations of slavery. In the narrative of the Exodus, the Bible tells that God helped the Children of Israel escape from their slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the ancient Egyptians before the Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves.
After the last plague ended the lives of the Egyptian male firstborn, the Pharaoh chased his former slaves out of the land.
They left in a hurry and as they baked their provisions for the Exodus, they did not have time to let the bread rise. That’s why “chametz” (leavened bread) is not allowed during Passover. It’s also a symbolic way of removing the “puffiness” or arrogance and pride from the soul.
Chametz also includes anything made from the five major grains — wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt — that hasn’t been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Ashkenazic Jews also consider rice, peanuts and legumes as chametz.
Although matzo has the texture of a cookie instead of bread, there are many delicious recipes you can do with it. My personal favorite incorporates my love of avocado (can’t deny I’m Dominican) and lox (fillet of brined salmon). It’s a variation of the traditional matzo with cream cheese and lox that is way overdone now.
Maria’s Matzocado and Lox
Ingredients:
1 Avocado
1/3 of a small onion
Half a lime
A pinch of salt
2 Matzos
4 slices of lox
Preparation: Peel the avocado and take out the seed. Put in a bowl. Chop the onion. Squeeze the half lime. Mix the onion and lime juice with the avocado and mash them all together until you get a creamy paste. Add the salt. Mix again. Now you’ve got guacamole! Spread the guacamole on the matzos and add the lox on top. If you’re making breakfast, you can add a poached or a boiled egg on top for a fuller meal. I personally like to serve this with mimosas!
Caramel matzo crunch from epicurious.com
Ingredients:
4-6 unsalted matzohs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate
For the full prep go to this link.
Apple matzo cake from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
Nonstick spray
3 large eggs, separated, plus 3 large yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 cups grated Granny Smith apples (from 6 peeled apples), squeezed dry
1 cup matzo meal
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon plum brandy, such as Slivovitz, or regular brandy
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Click here for full prep.
Matzo Lasagna from thenest.com
Ingredients:
6 large onions, chopped
6 to 8 matzohs
3 to 4 lbs chopped meat
2 to 3 can tomato mushroom sauce
6 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup wine
garlic, oregano and parsley to taste
1/2 cup oil
Get the full prep here
Matzo and herbed stuffed tomatoes for Passover from What Jew Wanna Eat
Ingredients:
3 tomatoes, cut in half and seeds and juice removed
2 matzo, ground well to resemble crumbs (In food processor if possible)
1 Tb water
1 Tb Herbes de Provence
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
Parsley (for garnish)
For full instructions click here!
Passover Coconut Rocky Road Matzo from Gluten Free Canteen
Ingredients:
1 box Yehuda GF matzo
200 grams brown sugar (1 cup)
230 grams butter (they say you can use margarine but I don't even want to go there) (2 sticks)
320 grams (2 cups) bittersweet and semisweet chocolate chips (mixed)
165 grams (2 cups) large unsweetened coconut chips (flakes)
160 grams (2 cups) chopped toasted nuts (I used hazelnuts and almonds)
200 grams (2 cups) mini marshmallows (use kosher if you like)
Click here for instructions.
Matzo Latkes from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
Canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
6 ounces egg matzo
1 cup cottage cheese, preferably 4 percent
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons snipped chives, plus more for garnish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices smoked salmon (about 1/4 pound), for garnish
Horseradish Cream
Spinach and Matzo pie from epicurious.com
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped dill, divided
1 (16-ounce) container cottage cheese
2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
6 ounces feta, crumbled (1 1/2 cups), divided
6 matzos (about 6 inches square)
Click here to see how to make it.
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