Unleavened bread: the yeast-free bread recipe typical of the Jewish tradition (2024)

Unleavened bread, or bread without yeast, is a typical Jewish food, the name derives from the Greek azymos (without yeast) which in Jewish becomes mazzah, and it is the symbol of the Passover that recalls the Exodus from Egypt: it was the bread of the fugitives because it was quickly prepared by the fleeing Jews. It is a poor bread made only with flour and water, without salt or yeast and therefore without leavening; it is also very good for those suffering from yeast intolerances. It looks like a crunchy pastry with a round or square shape and a neutral flavor, and it can combined with sweet or savory dishes. This kind of bread is often used in cases in which a bread capable of lasting long is needed: being free of yeast, in fact, it can be preserved for a long time. The original recipe for unleavened bread is prepared with wholemeal flour and water, in our recipe we will use type 00 flour, but it is also possible to use manitoba, spelt or gluten-free flour.

Instructions:

Place the flour in a bowl or on a work surface. (1) Add cold water and start working hard for about 3 minutes. Continue to knead with firm and quick movements, folding the dough back on itself until an elastic compound is obtained. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll them out by hand or with a rolling pin, use the long and narrow one.

Each piece must have a thickness of 3 mm, it can have the shape of a disc, not necessarily regular, with a diameter of 22 cm. (2) Once the dough has been spread and you have obtained 4 sheets, drill them with a fork and bake them in the static oven in the lower part for 6-7 minutes at 250 °, then turn them and cook for another 6-7 minutes. Once ready, let the bread cool. (3) Your unleavened bread can be served immediately or preserved and then used when necessary.

Tips

For a good yield of unleavened bread, do not let the dough rest after preparation but roll it out immediately.

If you want to use wholemeal flour, use 400 grams, always with about 200 ml of water.

Unleavened bread can also be cooked in a pan; in this case it will be more swollen. If you want to get a softer unleavened bread you can add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

To make your unleavened bread more tasty, you can also add salt and oil: add 3 grams of salt and 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the mixture.

Unleavened bread can be consumed instead of crackers to accompany your dishes, it can also be used as a base to make sweet pancakes.

How to preserve unleavened bread

You can preserve unleavened bread for 1 month in a paper bag and away from moisture.