A local bakery has begun making matzo and I had the chance to get in on the act.   We made stacks of the stuff that was not kosher-for-Passover or even kosher, but a simple, everyday matzo to celebrate the spirit of the Passover season.   Matzo is simply flour and water that rests for a maximum of 18 minutes before being rolled out very thin and baked crisp in a hot, hot oven.  The resting time limitation has to do with preventing leavening and ensuring the bread remains flat.  Pricking the freshly rolled dough with a fork just before baking, also helps. 

In my home, there is always a box of matzo for snacking, but historically matzo is specifically eaten during Passover (a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt) as a  symbol of the Israelites hasty departure.  Matzo is also symbolic as a reminder to be humble, and to not forget what life was like in servitude. 

Filed Under: Culinary History, Food Talk