Unleavened Bread
“With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.”Exodus 12:39
To make unleavened bread, mix flour, water, olive oil and salt into a stiff dough with no yeast, roll it very thin and bake it in a hot oven until crisp and blistered. According to Exodus 12:39, Israel baked unleavened bread leaving Egypt because they were driven out in haste and the dough had no time to rise.
Unleavened bread is the oldest and simplest bread there is: flour and water, with no yeast, no rising and no waiting. It is the bread of the exodus, baked in a hurry as Israel fled Egypt, and the bread of Passover ever since. Because it needs no proving, you can make it from start to finish in about twenty minutes.
This recipe adds a little olive oil and salt for flavour and rolls the dough thin so it bakes up crisp and lightly blistered, close to a cracker or matzo. It is perfect with charoset, alongside a bowl of soup or lentils, or broken and shared at a Passover meal. Keep it plain to honour the tradition, or brush it with oil and herbs for an everyday flatbread.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 475F (245C) and place a baking tray or stone inside to get hot.
- In a bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add the olive oil and water and stir to a stiff dough, adding a little more flour or water as needed.
- Knead briefly, just until smooth, about 2 minutes. Do not let it rest or rise.
- Divide into 8 pieces and roll each out very thin on a floured surface, about 1/8 inch thick. Prick all over with a fork.
- Bake on the hot tray for 4 to 6 minutes, until firm, dry and lightly blistered. For a softer bread, bake a little less; for a crisp, cracker-like matzo, bake until golden.
- Cool on a rack. Serve warm or store in an airtight container once fully cool.
The Story Behind This Recipe
When the last plague fell on Egypt and Pharaoh finally let Israel go, there was no time to bake properly. Exodus tells us the people carried their dough away before it could rise, wrapping their kneading troughs in their cloaks, and baked it into flat, unleavened cakes along the road. That haste is written into the bread itself, and into the festival that remembers it.
God then gave the unleavened bread a lasting place in Israel's calendar. At Passover and through the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, no yeast was to be found in the house (Exodus 12:15-20). Over time the plain bread took on a second meaning as well, a picture of sincerity and purity, dough uncorrupted by the "leaven" of the old life. Simple as it is, this is bread with a very long memory.
| Per serving | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 140 |
| Protein | 4g |
| Carbohydrates | 24g |
| Fat | 3g |
| Fiber | 1g |
Unleavened Bread FAQ
What is unleavened bread?
Unleavened bread is bread made without any leavening agent such as yeast or baking powder, so it does not rise. It is flat, dense and quick to bake, and is the traditional bread of Passover.
Why did the Israelites eat unleavened bread?
According to Exodus 12:39, they left Egypt in such haste that their dough had no time to rise, so they baked it flat. God then commanded unleavened bread each year at Passover in memory of the exodus.
Is unleavened bread the same as matzo?
They are very close. Matzo is the thin, crisp unleavened bread eaten at Passover. This recipe makes a similar flatbread; roll it thin and bake it until crisp for a matzo-style result.
What flour is used for unleavened bread?
Wheat flour is traditional. Whole wheat gives a nuttier, more rustic bread, while all-purpose flour makes a lighter one. Both work well in this recipe.
Is unleavened bread healthy?
Made with whole wheat flour and olive oil, it is a simple, low-sugar bread with no additives. It is naturally free of dairy and eggs, though it does contain gluten from the wheat.
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