How to Make Homemade Matzoh Bread

As Passover approaches, boxes of prepared matzoh disappear from shelves of grocery stores. If you want to give something special this Seder, try making your own matzoh bread. All that is required is a little shopping and a lot of cleaning. This quick recipe makes a matzoh suitable for a Passover feast. Read on to learn how to make homemade matzoh bread.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Measuring cup
• Kosher matzoh flour (called Kemach Shel Matza Shamura)
• Bread peel or sheet pan
• Water
• Large bowl
• Rolling pin
• 1 cup cold water from the tap
• 3 cups kosher matzoh flour (called Kemach Shel Matza Shamura)

1. Thoroughly clean your oven for Passover. You can use the self-cleaning function of your oven for this or use household cleansers. Do not forget to clean the inside rack of your oven as well.
2. Bring out all of the utensils you intend on using for cooking during Seder. All of these bowls and cooking utensils need to be thoroughly cleaned of any traces of chometz--barley, wheat, rye, oats and spelt. Once the bowls and utensils are kosher, make certain they do not come in contact with anything that is not kosher.
3. The utensils you will specifically need for making matzoh bread are measuring cups, a large bowl, a rolling pin, a large fork and a bread peel or a sheet pan with no side lip for sliding the bread into the oven and taking the bread out.
4. Clean your counter tops to make them kosher. You can also spread out clean butcher paper onto your work space to make certain that your matzoh bread will be kosher. Sprinkle a small amount of flour onto your work surface and make certain that it is evenly spread over an area of two feet in diameter.
5. Spread a small amount of flour onto the rolling pin and set aside.
6. Sprinkle a small amount of flour onto the bread peel or sheet pan that you are using to move the bread in and out of the oven. Set aside.
7. Heat your oven to the highest temperature. Do not use the broil function on your oven.
8. Once everything is prepared, measure out your matzoh flour into the bowl.
9. Set a kitchen timer for 18 minutes.
10. Measure out the water will need. Start the timer and simultaneously pour the water into your flour. You will need to work quickly to finish mixing and keading the dough before the 18 minutes are finished.
11. Mix the water and flour until the dough is consistent.
12. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and quickly knead the dough until it is a firm ball. The dough should not be sticky. Do not hesitate to add a small amount of flour if the dough is too sticky.
13. Roll the ball of dough to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. The dough should be very thin.
14. Take a fork and poke many holes all over the dough. Carefully move the dough onto your bread peel or sheet pan and transfer your dough into the waiting oven.
15. Bake the bread for two to three minutes, until the matzoh is crisp. Once the matzoh is finished, quickly use the peel or sheet pan to transfer the bread onto a kosher plate to cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Kemach Shel Matza Shamura is special flour that is supervised by the Rabbis to make certain that the flour has not come in contact with any moisture from the moment of harvest. Ask your local grocer if they have any Kemach Shel Matza Shamura available. You might also check your local specialty food market to find this flour.
• If you use butcher paper to cover your work space, place very heavy items at each corner to keep the paper in place. You can also use double-sided tape to stick the paper into place.
• Keep checking the time you have while you are mixing and kneading the dough. You cannot exceed 18 minutes before you get the dough into the oven. If you do not finish kneading before your timer sounds, throw away your dough, clean and dry the utensils again and start over.
• The reason matzoh can’t be kneaded for more than 18 minutes represents the short amount of time the Israelites had to make their bread before they exited Egypt.
• In order to make a large amount of matzoh bread, consider asking for some help in the process of making the bread. Give each person a specific job so the matzoh is completely keaded and in the oven by the 18-minute deadline.