Title: Making Matzohs
Categories: Bread Cracker Jewish
Yield: 1 Servings

1

Txt file on matzoh

MAKING MATZOH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Homemade matzohs have very little to do w/packaged variety but are much closer to handmade matzohs prepared by Hasidic communities each year before passover. These matzohs are made quickly, to avoid danger of fermentation from time that teh flour is wet until dough goes in oven. They are circular, not square, and very hard, stiff & crusty. My grandmothet used tomake a few of her own, but never for Passover, because she could not get special flour required at taht time of year. The recipe below is one I devised after watching Hasidic bakers in Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. The version w/whole-wheat flour closer the authentic "schmura" matzoh, which is based on milled whole-wheat berries. The final result is a matzoh that is wheat colored & richly flavored. No salt is added to matzohs, nor is dough allowed to rest before it is rolled. These matzohs look like ancient parchments & have a wonderful toasty flavor. They are good spread w/butter, or simply sprinkled w/salt or flavored w/onion or garlic & reheated. The ovens in which Hasidic bakers make these matzohs are huge, wood-fired, & have stone floors. While it is not probably not possible to for you to bake them in a wood-fired oven, you can approximate stone floor by lining lining a shelf rack in your oven w/large, flat, unglazed terra-cotta tiles purchased at a flooring or tile shop. Soak tiles for 24 hours in water before first use. I have also gotten very good results baking matzohs on a heavy cookie sheet. But it is essential that you have a good oven that reaches at least 500 degrees & retains this temp.

2 cups Unbleached Flour; more if needed 1/2 - 3/4 cup cold water; as needed

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place flour on a board or in a wide mixing bowl & make a mound w/a well in center. Pour in 1/2 cup water & begin to stir in the flour gradually, using your fingertips or a fork. Add more water as needed until all flour is mixed in & you have a soft pliable dough that is just barely sticky. Divide dough into quarters. On a floured board, knead each portion of dough 8 or 10 times, working in a little flour if it is too sticky to be rolled. Clean board of all dough scraps, reflour, & w/a floured rolling pin roll dough into a circle abt 7 inches in diameter & a littleless tha 1/8 inch thick. Pierce surface all over w/tines of a fork, be sure you pierce through bottom of dough. This will keep matzoh from buckling as it bakes. If you have enough room in your oven or on your baking sheets, you can bake all matzohs at once. In that case, roll out all dough and do so. Otherwise bake them one or two at a time, but do not roll out remaining dough until you are ready to bake it. Lift the pierced dough over a rolling pin & turn onto ungreased baking sheet or tiles. Bake for abt 10 mins. When matzoh curls, looks very dry, & shows some golden-brown patches & edges, turn & bake the second side for 5 to 8 mins, or until golden brown. Some very dark edges are desirable, for they add special flavor. Remove from oevn and cool on a rack.

Yield: 4 seven-inch matzohs

Variations: 1. To make these w/whole-wheat flour, follow above recipe but use more water - probably an extra 1/4 cup will do. These matzohs will be thicker, but will have better color & flavor. 2. I have given directions for 7-inch round matzohs because this size seems more convenient for home baking. However, matzohs made by Hasidic bakers are closer to 12 or 14 inches in diameter & are more impressive looking. If your oven or baking sheets can accomodate such sizes, simply divide dough in half & roll into two big rounds. The larger size is a bit more difficult to handle; be sure dough does not crease or fold back on itself during rolling or when you place it on baking sheet or tiles. The folds or creases will form soggy patches.

Baked And Seasoned Matzohs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To freshen flavor of packaged or homemade matzohs, dampen them lightly on both sides by rubbing wet hands over them. Place on a rack in 375-degree oven for a few mins, until dry & crisp & faintly brown around edges. Coarse salt can be sprinkled on top side of each after wetting & before baking. Baked matzohs can also be seasoned w/garlic or onion, in which case they are delicious w/soup, or cheese & various canape spreads. Rub one side of each matzoh w/a cut clove of garlic or onion. Dampen matzoh sightly, sprinkle w/salt, & bake for 6 to 7 mins at 375 degrees.

From: From My Mother's Kitchen (Recipes & Reminiscences) By: Mimi Sheraton (Harper Collins)

previous

next