How to Make Soft Matzah

Make your own soft matzah for Passover or for other times of the year.

Different Jewish ethnic groups observe varying customs regarding the acceptability of eating soft matzahs during Passover. Some Jewish individuals who observe the laws of Passover, which obligate Jews to eat matzah instead of bread for the duration of the holiday, prefer soft matzahs. You can buy soft kosher-for-Passover matzahs in Israel and in some shops with kosher products. Jewish law regarding the preparation of Passover matzah is exacting. Rabbis suggest buying commercially prepared matzahs for the Passover holiday itself. However, you can prepare your own soft matzahs to eat during the rest of the year.

Things You'll Need

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup of water
• Herbs or seasonings
• Oven
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Sift the flour.

3. Mix flour and water.

4. Add in any seasonings or herbs that you want to include in your soft matzah.

5. Mix the dough until it forms a ball. Add more flour or water as needed so that the dough does not stick or crumble.

6. Divide the dough into 1-by-1-inch balls.

7. Roll out the dough balls with a rolling pin. Roll the dough out until it is approximately 1/4-inch thick. If you roll the dough out thinner, the matzah may become hard and crunchy after baking.

8. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay the dough on the sheets.

9. Insert the baking sheet into the oven.

10. Allow the dough to bake for 10 minutes. Remove the matzah. If you prefer the matzah to become crunchier, bake it for a few more minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• The Jewish laws of kashruth prohibit ingestion of insects. Since stored flours often contain bugs, especially in warm climates, Jewish cooks and bakers will sift their flour to ensure that the flour does not contain any bugs.

• Bakers preparing kosher-for-Passover matzahs use special flour which was guarded to ensure that it did not come in contact with any "chametz," leavened products. Some people will only eat "shmura matzah," guarded matzah, on Passover. This matzah includes flour that was guarded from the time of the wheat's harvest until the matzah's preparation. During the rest of the year, you can use any flour, including whole wheat flour or flours from different grains.

• During Passover, matzah does not include any ingredients other than flour and water, but during the rest of the year, you can make matzah with added salt, herbs or other flavorings.

• When making matzah for Passover, bakers must ensure that no more than 18 minutes passes from the time that the water touches the flour until the time that the matzah bakes. This "halacha," Jewish law, prevents any fermentation process from beginning, thus rendering the matzah unkosher for Passover. Matzah made during the rest of the year, however, has no such restrictions.

References

• Kosher Cooking: Matzoh
• Jewish Boston: Baking Soft Matza
• Halacha Yomit: Matza