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Passover Prep: Gluten-Free Matzoh with Onion, Garlic and Dill |
Lately I’ve determined that I’m somewhat of an enigma. I mean, this whole “I eat gluten-free most of the time but not all of the time because I don’t actually have celiac and I just like gluten-free flours” thing doesn’t exactly qualify as a “special diet.” Especially if you catch me eating regular ol’ gluten-full pizza on a lunch date. (Yup, that happened this week.) So while theoretically I could make an exception and eat regular ol’ gluten-full matzoh at our family’s seders this weekend, instead I jumped for joy when my friend Ellen, The Gluten Free Diva, suggested we get together and make some gluten-free matzoh. (Remember, we cooked together a few weeks ago?!) Because if there’s anything better than splurging, it’s working on a recipe and realizing you can eat what you crave, a little more healthfully! And of course, I love some gal pal time in the kitchen.
I know what you’re thinking. If you do not observe Passover, it’s “Awesomeness! Matzoh is so good. Especially slathered with butter. I used to get to eat it at a snack at my Jewish friend’s house and always wished my mother would buy it.” And if you’re a member of the Tribe, it’s something more like “Oh come on. Who actually craves matzoh? If I were gluten-free I’d rather just not eat it.”
Well here’s the thing about this matzoh. Whether you have to eat a gluten-free diet or not, this is the matzoh that’s going to make you want to eat matzoh. Take it from my gluten-eating husband, who proclaimed, “this is better than ANY matzoh I’ve ever had.” No joke, he would have polished it off right then and there if I didn’t steal it away for photos (such is the life of being married to a food blogger.)
You wanna know what makes this matzoh (and many gluten-free recipes!) so good? I promise you it’s not just the fact that Ellen and I decided to flavor our matzoh with onion, garlic and dill (which was really a great decision, by the way.) Even if we had left those spices out, the combination of flours including chickpea, almond and oat contribute far more flavor than what you would get in typical matzoh, made with a single grain, usually wheat. When people ask why I use so many different gluten-free flours, I always tell them, they’re more flavorful! And more nutritious, too. This matzoh is a perfect example of that.
And if after all this you’re thinking, “Great, I’d be totally game, but there’s no way I’m gonna have time for this before our first seder,” relax. My other favorite thing about this matzoh is that it’s super quick and easy and doesn’t require you go out and buy a zillion gluten-free flours. We tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
If Passover were a gift-giving holiday, this would be our gift to you. Chag Sameach!
Be sure to visit Ellen’s blog, Gluten Free Diva, for her take on our matzoh-making. Plus, she’s got tons of other great gluten-free recipes for Passover, like Passover Almond Coconut Sponge Cake with Whipped Cream Strawberry Filling, Mock Lentil Walnut Chopped Liver, and Chocolate Apricot Almond Candy (want!)
The question about which grains are kosher for Passover really depends on one’s own ethnic background and level of observance. If you need more information on which grains are kosher for Passover, please check out a couple other posts I’ve written recently, here and here. Also, Ellen has included some great information on laws concerning making matzoh.
Gluten Free Matzoh with Onion, Garlic and Dill
Yield: 5 sheets of matzoh
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1/4 cup oat flour (or gluten-free oats, ground finely in a food processor)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
4 tablespoons olive oil
4-6 tbsp waterDirections:
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine flours, salt and seasonings in a food processor and pulse to combine. Remove cover and drizzle in olive oil and 4 tablespoons water. Process the mixture until well combined. Remove cover and pinch together some of the dough. If it holds together, it's done. If it is still a bit crumbly, add more water, a teaspoon at a time, and continue processing, until dough holds together.
Gather the dough into a ball. Generously flour work surface and rolling pin. Divide dough into five equal portions. Working with one at a time, roll as thinly as possible into a rustic round or oval shape. Gently lift and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Poke holes in horizontal rows with a fork. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until browned and crisp.
Cara Lyons & Ellen Allard, adapted from Jules Gluten Free Matzo
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I'm Cara, lover of creative, clean food and healthy living. Pumpkin, goat cheese, and eggplant make me swoon. I have an insatiable sweet tooth and desire to lift heavy things. 
Pingback: The Best Gluten Free Matzo with Onion, Garlic & Dill
Ricki — April 5, 2012 @ 4:19 pm
I generally can’t stand matzo, but this one actually sounds good! Maybe I’ll whip some up for my friend’s seder this year. 🙂 Happy Passover, Cara! 😀
sweetie — April 5, 2012 @ 6:17 pm
cara, looks amazing. i hate to be the passover police, but maybe it would be helpful to alert the readers that the flours need to be kosher in order for it to be kosher for passover matzo. i don’t think chickpeas are generally consumed. (no need to publish this but i did want to make you aware 🙂 )
Cara — April 5, 2012 @ 7:47 pm
Good point, I addressed this in a couple other posts in the past few weeks so I will link to them for more information. For what it’s worth, avoiding chickpeas (and all legumes, for that matter) is an Ashkenazic custom that began in the middle ages due to concern that these foods might be cross-contaminated with the 5 grains distinguished as chametz in the torah (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, rye.) The torah only indicates that we need to avoid chametz. Sephardic Jews never adopted the rules of avoiding all the other stuff (legumes, corn, certain seeds, spices, etc – all known as kitniyot.)
Joanne — April 5, 2012 @ 10:02 pm
You know…why DON’T they make flavored matzoh? Like with onion and garlic and dill and such things. you are SO onto something.
Kate — April 6, 2012 @ 9:47 am
I’m so impressed you made your own matzoh!
Alisa — April 7, 2012 @ 11:38 am
Beyond impressed! You’ve really taken the gluten-free baking and cooking by storm!
Dawn — April 8, 2012 @ 6:42 am
Mmm I love dill-so fresh. I should do more with dill. This is. A perfect place to start!
Maria — April 10, 2012 @ 5:32 pm
I bet the fresh dill is amazing in this recipe!
Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit — April 12, 2012 @ 11:13 am
Yum, this looks great, Cara! It’s rare that I nail a recipe on the first try… but when I do, I always am thrilled about it! Matzoh reminds me a lot of the Indian breads I’ve been making at home, thanks for the great recipe!
Sable@SquatLikeALady — April 13, 2012 @ 4:43 pm
Oh gosh you just made me giggle right out loud!! I had no idea I was fitting into a stereotype like this hahahah – I’m not Jewish but part of my husband’s family is (his Mom, my MIL, is Christian so you know how that goes)…anyway we went to their house for my first-ever Passover Seder last weekend and I was all gushing about the matzoh and the matzoh ball soup. haha! I bet they were all just rolling their eyes. Oh well =)
Cara — April 13, 2012 @ 4:48 pm
well matzoh blog soup is awesome stuff, I don’t blame you 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the seder!
Susan Quatro — April 26, 2012 @ 7:00 pm
I’m so excited! I just found this amazing Gluten Free Passover cookbook on iTunes from glutenfreematzo.com. Check it out
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/gluten-free-passover-cookbook/id510576449?mt=11
nina lobo — March 14, 2013 @ 7:19 pm
I know this is from a year ago, but for those trying to find gluten-free matzo recipes for this year I thought I’d comment as there were no comments from anyone who tried the recipe. It burned to a charred mess in 10 minutes – and my oven is slightly under temp, so something seems to be wrong with the temp/times. Very nutty, crumbly, not much like matzo for those looking for a crisp cracker texture or authentic taste. Thanks for trying, but I was very disappointed in the result.
Cara — March 14, 2013 @ 7:47 pm
I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you. Perhaps there is a difference in our oven temps. I made it two or three times last year very successfully. If I get a chance to make it this year (not sure I will with a newborn) I will double check with a new oven thermometer.
Beth — April 7, 2014 @ 12:28 am
I know if I omit the oat flour they will not be suitable for the seder, but is there something I can use in place of the oat flour? I am intolerant to oats. What about using quinoa flour or buckwheat flour?
Cara — April 7, 2014 @ 1:43 pm
Hi Beth, according to custom, matzoh that is suitable for seder should contain water plus one of the five grains listed in the Torah: wheat, barley, spelt, oats or rye. Out of those, only oat flour is gluten free which is is why included here, to be suitable for seder and suitable for someone with Celiac disease. Quinoa or buckwheat flour might work from a functional perspective – if you try it, let us know! you might also want to consider that in Jewish law, children, elderly and sick are exempt from keeping to the letter of the law. So one could argue that the need to eat gluten-free exempts you from the commandment of eating strictly kosher-for-passover matzoh. If you are concerned, I would advise speaking to your rabbi for better explanation.