This Passover, make a better matzo pizza

When I was a kid, the prospect of a week without bread at Passover was a daunting one. What would my mom make me that I would eat? Matzo pizza was often the answer.

Matzo is an unleavened bread, essentially a cracker, that is eaten during the Jewish holiday to commemorate the Jews’ exodus from ancient Egypt when they hurriedly left without waiting for their bread to rise. So, the holiday prohibits the consumption of bread made with yeast, as well as many other baked goods. (You can still have flour in the form of matzo and related products, as long as they are certified kosher for Passover, which is different from everyday kosher guidelines.)

To satisfy cravings for foods we can’t have during the holiday — “chametz” is the technical term — we often try to re-create them, with varying degrees of success. Matzo pizza is a relatively safe bet. Plenty of people appreciate this stand-in for what it is, rather than an also-ran.

Like Matzo Brittle, an irresistible confection of matzo with layers of butterscotch and chocolate, the Passover-friendly pizza brings back memories of family traditions and comfort food, even if it’s not something our ancestors would recognize.

At its core, matzo pizza is simple: matzo, tomato sauce and cheese. Anyone who’s had a soggy slab, though, will acknowledge there’s room for improvement. So I set about building a better matzo pizza with a few small upgrades, while not destroying its quick and easy spirit. Here are my top tips for how to make matzo pizza, grouped by component.

The matzo. The go-to matzo is the 7-inch square. Cookbook author Leah Koenig recommends shmurah matzo, a round option she says holds up a little better and boasts some of the same charred flavor as Neapolitan pizza. For something more grocery-store accessible, consider salted matzo, says chef-owner Michael Friedman of Washington pizzeria All-Purpose. “That makes a huge difference.”

Prompted by my son’s love of a certain delivery pizza, I decided to try some dried herbs to jazz up plain-Jane matzo. I happened to recently be testing Jessie Sheehan’s Soda Bread Focaccia, and inspiration struck. I tweaked her herb mixture, swapping oregano for thyme, and applied a coating of olive oil to the matzo before generously sprinkling it with a blend that also featured garlic and onion powders, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bingo!

Was there another way to coax more flavor out of the matzo and provide insurance against disintegration? Everyone I talked to agreed on the need for an extra application of heat beyond that of a moderate oven, though in slightly different iterations. Among the suggestions: using a skillet to shallow-fry the matzo before baking or browning it after baking, and just using a very hot oven. For minimal fuss, I chose the last option, baking the matzo pizza for 4 to 5 minutes on a sheet pan preheated in a 450-degree oven. You’ll hear an instant sizzle when you set the oiled square on the pan, which is just what you want. I also used a quick (optional) broil — 1 minute or less — at the end to nudge the cheese into golden, bubbling bliss. Just keep an eye on it to prevent scorching, especially if you leave a bigger border without sauce or cheese, or don’t oil it all the way to the edges.

The sauce. People’s individual standards may differ depending on whether you avoid just certain ingredients or will only use those marked kosher for Passover, so Koenig suggests paying attention to your bottle of jarred marinara if you fall into the latter category. I decided to go the store-bought marinara route to keep the work to a minimum. As we witnessed in our jarred sauce taste test, the consistency of brands can vary widely, and even the good ones tend to be too watery for matzo’s structural integrity. Friedman recommends cooking down jarred marinara so it thickens and spreads more than pools, which is just what I did. A few minutes in a skillet while the oven preheated did the trick.

Use a light hand to avoid a soggy mess. Friedman’s suggested 1/4 cup was perfect for a standard matzo. For extra insurance, Alex Levin, director of strategic business initiatives and pastry programs at Schlow Restaurant Group, flips the script, applying the cheese before the sauce, a la Detroit pizza. I went with the more traditional sauce then cheese, but feel free to shake things up.

The cheese. Again, moisture is the enemy. Low-moisture, shrink-wrapped mozzarella, often sold in bricks, works well. If using fresh mozzarella, thinly slice it and pat it dry, Levin suggests. I found my sweet spot of mozzarella at 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese per pizza. Another melty cheese, such as Muenster or Fontina, would also be fine. If you want dollops of ricotta or fresh goat cheese (chevre), make them small and be judicious in the amount. Try a dusting of Parmesan after baking for a final flourish.

The toppings. As with most pizza in general, the lighter you go on toppings, the better. This prevents the matzo from getting soggy and makes for a neater eating experience. Friedman says small amounts of thinly sliced onion or peppers are worth considering. My preference: minced or thinly sliced pepperoncini. If you want to use more watery vegetables, such as mushrooms or zucchini, cook them down first in a skillet. Or focus on plus-ups you can apply after baking, whether it’s a light drizzle of hot honey or olive oil, a shower of crushed red pepper flakes or torn herbs, or even a modest pile of lightly dressed arugula for a salad pizza experience.

Matzo Pizza

Matzo pizza is a staple for many American Jews during Passover, but a few simple tweaks improve this classic without much extra work. This is a basic recipe you can use as a jumping-off point for your favorite toppings, including thinly sliced vegetables, pickled peppers and herbs. Or add a pile of arugula after cooking for a salad pizza experience. Whatever you use, just don’t overdo it, or else the matzo might get soggy and fall apart. And be sure to check any ingredient labels to ensure they are kosher for Passover.

You’ll have leftover sauce for two additional pizzas, ideal for subsequent meals or for easily scaling up the recipe. Extras of the spice blend can be used as a rub for roasted meat or vegetables, or as a topping for future savory bakes.

Storage: Refrigerate the cooked-down sauce for up to 1 week. Store the leftover spice blend in an airtight container for several months.

1 cup homemade or store-bought marinara sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Pinch flaky sea salt (optional)

Olive oil, for brushing

1 sheet plain, unsalted matzo (7-inch square)

1 1/2 to 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) shredded whole or part-skim mozzarella, preferably low-moisture (may substitute another melty cheese, such as Fontina, Gouda or Muenster)

Thinly sliced vegetables, pickled peppers or other toppings of your choice (optional)

Fresh torn herbs, hot honey, grated Parmesan or other garnishes of your choice (optional)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, set a large sheet pan on it and preheat to 450 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat, heat the marinara until it starts to bubble. Simmer to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally, until you have about 3/4 cup sauce left, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed to prevent scorching or excessive splattering. (The time will vary by brand, as some sauces are more watery than others.) Remove from the heat to cool briefly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the oregano and garlic and onion powders, plus red pepper flakes and flaky sea salt, if using. You should have about 1 tablespoon. Brush both sides of the matzo with olive oil, ensuring you coat it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle one or both sides of the matzo with the oregano mixture, to taste.

Spread 1/4 cup of the reduced marinara evenly over one side of the matzo, taking it almost, but not completely, to the edges. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the sauce, again leaving a small margin at the edges. Scatter your toppings, if using, over the cheese. (For an even sturdier crust, you can apply the cheese first, followed by the sauce and toppings.)

Carefully remove the hot sheet pan from the oven and use a thin metal spatula to transfer the matzo pizza to it. Bake for about 4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. For a little extra color and gooey melt, change the oven from bake to broil (high, if you have a choice), and broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the cheese is lightly browned in spots. Keep a close watch, as the cheese and matzo can burn in a flash.

Let the pizza rest on the pan for 1 minute. Add your garnishes, if using, then serve hot.

Substitutions:

Vegan? Substitute a nondairy cheese of your choice. Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free matzo. Don’t care for the dried herbs? Skip the seasoning blend and just brush the matzo with oil.

Serves 1 (makes one matzo pizza)

Nutritional facts per pizza | Calories: 305; Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Sodium: 387 mg; Cholesterol: 24 mg; Protein: 13 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 2 g

— From recipes editor Becky Krystal.