Matzah, or matzo, is a cracker-like unleavened bread that's eaten during Passover. Tradition dictates the matzah should be made and baked within 18 minutes. Baking at a high temperature helps you achieve this.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour for dusting*
1 cup all-purpose flour*
⅓ cup water, or more if needed
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or as needed (Optional)
1 teaspoon olive oil, or as needed (Optional)
Step by step
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Move an oven rack to the top position. Preheat a heavy baking sheet in the oven.
Dust a clean work surface and a rolling pin with 1 teaspoon flour, or as needed.
Place 1 cup flour into a mixing bowl; set a timer for 16 minutes (18 minutes maximum). Start the timer; pour water, 1 tablespoon at a time, into flour. Stir with a fork until dough forms a rough ball.
Transfer dough to the prepared work surface; knead rapidly and firmly until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces; cut each piece in half to get 8 pieces. Swiftly roll each piece into a ball. Working from the center, roll out each dough piece into a 5-inch-diameter round, dusting with flour as needed. Continue to gradually roll dough out to a diameter of about 8 inches, increasing each size by about 1 inch, then letting dough rest for a few seconds before rolling again to the finished size. The dough rounds will be very thin.
Use a fork to quickly pierce through each dough round about 25 times, all over, to prevent rising. Flip dough over and pierce each piece again 25 times.
With at least 5 minutes left on the timer, remove the hot baking sheet from the preheated oven and place dough rounds onto the baking sheet.
Bake on the top rack in the preheated oven for 2 minutes; flip matzah over and bake until lightly browned and crisp, about 2 more minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Use a brush to lightly anoint each matzah with olive oil. Season generously with salt.
