Matzo

Matzo is an unleavened flatbread from Israel that is traditionally consumed during the weeklong Passover, celebrating the Israelites' departure from Egypt. Around the holiday, this flatbread can be found as a part of appetizers, main courses, and even desserts. During the Passover, Jews are not allowed to consume leavened food (chametz), and according to a popular legend, they left Egypt in such a hurry that they didn't wait for the bread dough to rise before taking it with them through the desert. It is a tradition to pair matzo with haroseth, a fruit and nut combination symbolizing brick and mortar which the Jews had to make when they were slaves. Early matzos were usually decorated with shapes of animals and flowers, while some were even baked in the form of chains. Today, there is a large variety of matzos such as whole-wheat matzo, matzo dipped in chocolate or honey, square-shaped or circular-shaped, small or large in size.