Ever thought about making your own matzah for Passover? We hadn’t—until David Richman from Area Four in Cambridge showed us how easy it actually was. (And, dare we say it, tasty!) Even without a wood-fire oven at home (which Area Four uses to make its delicious pizza), you can still replicate this idea using a pizza stone or regular sheet pan in your oven.
While serving homemade matzah would certainly add a little something extra to your seder, be advised that some folks won’t consider it kosher for Passover, even if you prepare it within the 18-minute window to ensure the dough doesn’t start to rise. (You probably won’t be able to find the kosher-for-Passover flour needed for legit kosher-for-Passover matzah, for which kosher supervision starts even before its milling). So before serving homemade matzah at your seder, we recommend checking with your guests to see if they’d prefer the boxed version.
The recipe itself is easy—one part water and three parts all-purpose flour (David also incorporates salt for flavor). Mix and knead the dough into a firm ball. To aim for the 18-minute challenge, skip the part about letting the dough rise and roll it out as thin as possible. David suggests using a pasta maker, if you have one, to make super-thin sheets of dough. Once your dough is rolled very thin, poke holes using a docker (our new favorite kitchen tool!) or fork. If using a pizza stone, let the stone heat up for at least 30 minutes in a 500-degree oven. Bake on the stone for 2-3 minutes, until matzah starts to brown. (If using a regular sheet pan, use parchment paper and bake for 2-3 minutes, then flip the dough and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.)
Watch and learn!