Matzo Magic Bars

I’ll be honest, I’m crazy anxious. But truthfully, who isn’t these days? Life, as we know it, has changed. My college friend said it best, “it feels like life has been canceled“. We all seek comfort in different ways, there should be no judgment, maybe that’s the real takeaway in all this.

I am particularly bummed out by the arrival of the Easter and Passover and the inability to see friends and family on such occasions. I hope that no matter where you are or who you’re in lockdown with you can honor whatever holiday you choose in some way, big or small, and take comfort that this time will pass. For my family, that means celebrating Passover, which is a significant holiday within Judaism.

For those that are not Jewish, Passover, (or Pesach in Hebrew), is one of the Jewish religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays. In Judaism, Passover commemorates the story of the Israelites’ departure from ancient Egypt.

During Passover Jews observe the week-long festival with a few important rituals including a traditional Passover meal known as a seder and the removal of leavened products (known as chametz) from the home. I will tell you, not eating bread products makes for a very long week.

Instead of bread, religious Jews eat a type of flatbread called matzo. This is because the Hebrews fled Egypt in such haste that there was no time for their bread to rise, or perhaps because matzo was lighter and easier to carry through the desert than regular bread.

My family and I observe Passover each year and in observance, we eat matzo instead of bread. This is not the easiest task to do while in lockdown, but we’re trying. For the matzo, we typically make our own. For dessert, we get creative because it’s a long holiday.

This recipe for matzo magic bars is an example of how creative one can get in quarantine. But the result is fantastic. In all honestly, you would be surprised what you can do with matzo which some compare to a simple saltine cracker. You can also make your own condensed milk if you don’t happen to have any. This is a super easy recipe for Passover but one those who are not Jewish may love just as much because chances are you can probably get matzo easier than you can get flour these days! Inspired by seven-layer bars, this recipe doesn’t disappoint.