matzoh cracker
Matzo is a modest source of carbohydrates and protein from wheat, containing minimal fat and no added sugar. It is not fortified, making it lower in micronutrients than leavened wheat breads, though some commercial varieties are enriched with vitamins and minerals.
About
Matzo (also spelled matzoh or matza) is an unleavened flatbread made from a simple mixture of wheat flour and water, traditionally prepared without any leavening agents such as yeast or baking powder. The dough is rolled thin, pierced to prevent puffing, and baked quickly at high temperatures until crisp. Originating from Jewish culinary practice, matzo commemorates the Exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites did not have time to allow their bread to rise.
Matzo is characteristically flat, brittle, and slightly textured with a pale golden color. It has a neutral, slightly wheaty flavor and a crisp, cracker-like texture when properly baked. Machine-made matzo, the standard commercial form, differs from hand-made varieties in thickness consistency and appearance, though both must meet stringent unleavened requirements under Jewish dietary law (kashrut).
Culinary Uses
Matzo is central to Passover observance, where it serves as a substitute for leavened bread throughout the eight-day holiday. Beyond holiday use, matzo appears in various Jewish and Ashkenazi cuisines as a versatile ingredient: it can be eaten plain as a cracker, crumbled into broths for matzo ball soup, fried with seasonings for matzo brei (a savory-sweet egg dish), or ground into matzo meal for baking and thickening. In contemporary cooking, matzo is increasingly used in non-traditional applications, from matzo pizza crusts to matzo-based desserts and coatings for fried foods.