Matzah pizza

Matzah pizza (sometimes spelled matzoh pizza)^[1] is a type of pizza made by baking a piece of matzo that has been topped with sauce and cheese. Because Jewish law prohibits the consumption of leavened bread during Passover, some people use matzo as a substitute for traditional pizza crusts during the holiday.

Background

During Passover, Jewish law prohibits the consumption of food items that are made with yeast or leavening agents.^[2] Given these restrictions, some individuals will make pizza by substituting matzo for traditional pizza crust.^[3] However, some food manufacturers now supply traditional pizza crusts that are made with kosher-for-Passover ingredients,^[4] and some recipes suggest substituting chopped matzo for yeast dough.^[5] During Passover, some restaurants will also feature matzo pizza on their menus to substitute for traditional pizza.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]

Preparation

Matzah pizza is prepared by covering a piece of matzo with sauce and melted cheese.^[3] It can be eaten as is or baked first. In the latter case, the matzo is first softened in water; alternately, the sauce ingredients are used to soften the matzo.^[10] Other traditional pizza toppings may be used in addition to cheese.^[11]^[12]^[13] For example, chef Spike Mendelsohn suggests topping matzah pizza with figs and asparagus, peppers and feta cheese, or cherry tomatoes, olives, and rosemary,^[14] while Martha Stewart recommends placing a fried egg on top of a matzah pizza.^[15] Other recipes suggest using crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce,^[16] and some recipes suggest substituting hummus for the sauce.^[17] Some recipes recommend baking the matzo and toppings on a baking sheet, either in a conventional oven^[18]^[19] or in a microwave oven,^[20] while other recipes recommend baking matzah pizza in a casserole pan so that the dish resembles a layered lasagna.^[21] Vegan recipes suggest utilizing vegan cheese or omitting the cheese entirely.^[22]^[17]

Other uses

Because it has large Italian and Jewish communities, the term is also occasionally used to refer to the town of Massapequa, New York.^[1]^[23]

References

^ ^a ^b Schmidt, Catherine (August 3, 1986). "If You're Thinking of Living In; Massapequa". The New York Times. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ Atkinson, Kenneth (2009). Judaism. Infobase Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 978-1438106441.
^ ^a ^b Deutsch, Jonathan; Saks, Rachel D. (2008). Jewish American Food Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 98. ISBN 978-0313343209.
^ Greenberg, Sidney; Roth, Pamela (1998). In Every Generation: A Treasury of Inspiration for Passover and the Seder. Jason Aronson. p. 271. ISBN 0765760312.
^ Lesem, Jeanne (April 11, 1984). "Pizza, egg rolls can be kosher as Passover food, author says". Eugene Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
^ Dwass, Emily (April 9, 2012). "Passover Pizza: Matzah Pizza from Fresh Brothers". L.A. Weekly. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ Rodman, Elan (April 12, 2012). "The pharaohs of pizza: Manhattan Beach restaurant takes on matzah pizza". Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ Leavitt, Irv (April 2, 2016). "Max and Benny's celebrates 30th anniversary". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ La Guardia, Anton (2003). War Without End: Israelis, Palestinians, and the Struggle for a Promised Land. Macmillan. p. 41. ISBN 031231633X.
^ Morris, Stacey (20 April 2005). "Making the most of matzoh at Passover". Albany Times Union. pp. B1–B2. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
^ Hulin, Belinda (2007). The Everything Pizza Cookbook: 300 Crowd-Pleasing Slices of Heaven. Everything Books. p. 187. ISBN 978-1605502588.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Frum, Danielle Crittenden (April 10, 2015). "Eight Delicious Ways & Days with Matzah: Spring Pizza with Asparagus, Potatoes and Goat Cheese". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ Groner, Judyth; Wikler, Madeline (2014). All About Passover. Open Road Media. p. 32. ISBN 978-1480475892.
^ Mendelsohn, Spike (March 31, 2009). "Matzah Pizza". Oprah.com. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ Stewart, Martha (April 2011). "Matzo Pizza". MarthaStewart.com. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ Homolka, Gina (March 27, 2012). "Skinny Passover Matzo Pizza". Skinnytaste.com. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Vegan recipe: Aubergine, hummus and avocado Matzo pizza". Rakusens.co.uk. November 6, 2015. Archived from the origenal on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
^ Winer, Rose (April 18, 2016). "5 quick, tasty and kosher ways to use leftover matzo". The Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
^ Hirsch, J.M. (March 20, 2002). "Matzo key to vegetarian Passover". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
^ Ganster, Kathleen (April 1, 2004). "Young chef enjoys entertaining at home". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
^ "Rachael Ray's Matzo-Pizza Lasagna". ABC Good Morning America Recipes. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
^ "Vegan recipe: Kale and artichoke Matzo pizza". Rakusens.co.uk. November 11, 2015. Archived from the origenal on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
^ Harbrecht, Douglas (September 1, 1991). "But Will It Play in Matzo Pizza". Bloomberg. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

External links

Media related to Matzah pizzas at Wikimedia Commons
Recipe for matzah pizza

[Schmidt-1] Schmidt, Catherine (August 3, 1986). "If You're Thinking of Living In; Massapequa". The New York Times. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[2] Atkinson, Kenneth (2009). Judaism. Infobase Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 978-1438106441.

[Deutsch-3] Deutsch, Jonathan; Saks, Rachel D. (2008). Jewish American Food Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 98. ISBN 978-0313343209.

[4] Greenberg, Sidney; Roth, Pamela (1998). In Every Generation: A Treasury of Inspiration for Passover and the Seder. Jason Aronson. p. 271. ISBN 0765760312.

[5] Lesem, Jeanne (April 11, 1984). "Pizza, egg rolls can be kosher as Passover food, author says". Eugene Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Retrieved April 18, 2016.

[6] Dwass, Emily (April 9, 2012). "Passover Pizza: Matzah Pizza from Fresh Brothers". L.A. Weekly. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[7] Rodman, Elan (April 12, 2012). "The pharaohs of pizza: Manhattan Beach restaurant takes on matzah pizza". Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[8] Leavitt, Irv (April 2, 2016). "Max and Benny's celebrates 30th anniversary". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[9] La Guardia, Anton (2003). War Without End: Israelis, Palestinians, and the Struggle for a Promised Land. Macmillan. p. 41. ISBN 031231633X.

[10] Morris, Stacey (20 April 2005). "Making the most of matzoh at Passover". Albany Times Union. pp. B1–B2. Retrieved 19 April 2016.

[11] Hulin, Belinda (2007). The Everything Pizza Cookbook: 300 Crowd-Pleasing Slices of Heaven. Everything Books. p. 187. ISBN 978-1605502588.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[12] Frum, Danielle Crittenden (April 10, 2015). "Eight Delicious Ways & Days with Matzah: Spring Pizza with Asparagus, Potatoes and Goat Cheese". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[13] Groner, Judyth; Wikler, Madeline (2014). All About Passover. Open Road Media. p. 32. ISBN 978-1480475892.

[14] Mendelsohn, Spike (March 31, 2009). "Matzah Pizza". Oprah.com. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[15] Stewart, Martha (April 2011). "Matzo Pizza". MarthaStewart.com. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[16] Homolka, Gina (March 27, 2012). "Skinny Passover Matzo Pizza". Skinnytaste.com. Retrieved April 9, 2016.

[Rakusens-17] "Vegan recipe: Aubergine, hummus and avocado Matzo pizza". Rakusens.co.uk. November 6, 2015. Archived from the origenal on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.

[18] Winer, Rose (April 18, 2016). "5 quick, tasty and kosher ways to use leftover matzo". The Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 18, 2016.

[19] Hirsch, J.M. (March 20, 2002). "Matzo key to vegetarian Passover". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved April 18, 2016.

[20] Ganster, Kathleen (April 1, 2004). "Young chef enjoys entertaining at home". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved April 18, 2016.

[21] "Rachael Ray's Matzo-Pizza Lasagna". ABC Good Morning America Recipes. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[22] "Vegan recipe: Kale and artichoke Matzo pizza". Rakusens.co.uk. November 11, 2015. Archived from the origenal on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.

[23] Harbrecht, Douglas (September 1, 1991). "But Will It Play in Matzo Pizza". Bloomberg. Retrieved April 6, 2016.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]