It’s an annual occurrence to reassess why I participate in the observance of Pesach (Passover) and abstain from eating any leavened products. No one is forcing me to give up bread for 7 days; yet, I still feel that I really don’t have a choice in this matter—at least internally. Giving up bread pales in comparison to wandering 40 years in the desert after being enslaved in Egypt for generations. That being said, I really enjoy eating bread and other leavened food, which makes Passover one of the most difficult weeks of my year. In a nutshell, chametz (leavened food) includes products made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, and/or spelt that have been allowed to sit for more than 18 minutes and are, therefore, fermented or leavened. Here are the top foods I miss on Passover:
Bread
I feel that many people are just going to roll their eyes and say, “that’s the point,” but what many people don’t realize is how amazing and versatile a food product that bread is. Bread can be found in every culture, and it can provide comfort; so many foods are built around bread. During Passover, challah is replaced with matzah, which is a shame. While matzah does the best it can, it will never be the same as challah. Matzah breaks, it crumbles, it lacks the emotional warmth that challah provides.
Sourdough is very delicious, containing a crunchy crust, soft inside, and a slightly sour taste. It takes a long time to make, and that added time is what makes me feel sad about not being able to eat it during Passover. Matzah has no flavor—there is nothing enjoyable about matzah.
Toast, like the bread, could be used to make a sandwich, is very simple—it’s just bread toasted. But when you get used to the simple pleasures of butter melting into warm bread, or having creamy avocado on toast, or spreading jam on toast while waking up in the morning, then without toast, you feel like there is something missing from your breakfast and that simply can’t be replaced.
Pasta
There is something truly heartbreaking when you go to your pantry only to find that you can’t eat any of the boxes of pasta because of Passover. Pasta is the ultimate comfort food—it’s easy and dependable, and always seems to fit the exact craving you have. When you’re making preparations for Passover, those boxes will be replaced by some questionable substitutes that either dissolve immediately once put into water or are reminiscent of a failed chef’s attempt at making something edible. The truth of the matter is that there is no substitute for a nice bowl of pasta.
Pizza
The experience of eating pizza is more than just food; it embodies an occasion. It brings to mind late-night activities, hanging with your friends, and pure happiness. And what about during Pesach? There won’t be any of those. Sure, there are matzo pizzas as a possible substitute, but let’s be real with ourselves—they are not the same thing as eating pizza; they are simply a coping strategy. The lack of dough, of chewiness, of everything that makes pizza pizza… It hurts.
Bagels
This one hits close to home for me. Bagels are that food that provides the most support during the day—breakfast, lunch, as a snack, etc. Whether toasted with cream cheese (that’s how I like mine), sandwiches, or just eating a plain one—you can count on them. And during Pesach—they will be absent. You cannot come close to finding a substitute for them. An attempt would be using matzo with cream cheese, but nobody will be able to convince you otherwise.
Sweet Treats: (especially cookies)
Desserts during Pesach are unique and somewhat odd. All dessert items are either made from matzah meal or do a poor job of disguising their matzah meal flavor. Missing the soft, chewy, warm cookie (the kind which you want to take home with you) is heavy. (The Passover “Cookie:” dry and crumbly, which leaves you feeling as if the cookie has apologised for its existence.)
Rice (Depends on my Ashkenazi-ness of the year)
Rice is where the controversy is. Although technically rice is not chametz, for many Ashkenazim, rice is considered kitniyot (in addition to corn and legumes) because of a possible confusion factor of those products with chametz. This is due to the possible confusion (when it comes to products being processed) of the actual product and the mixing with grain-based products during processing.
Some years I will just follow tradition completely; no rice, no loopholes, just matzah and a strong ideation to process that tradition. Some years I will begin to question my desire to strictly follow the Ashkenazi tradition. Sephardim cook rice during Pesach as it is a much bigger piece of their culture. Depending on how much I want to follow tradition and inconvenience myself, I decide whether or not to eat rice. It has nothing to do with the rule itself; the more I am thinking about how “Ashki I feel” is my focus.
When I don’t eat rice, I absolutely miss it since it’s such an easy and filling base to build meals on and also that it makes every meal seem like one additional complication on top of what has already been a very difficult week without bread.
The first bite of actual bread at the end of the week feels very much like a celebration of something that’s not just due to the food; it’s also about remembering and practicing restraint and tradition. Nevertheless, I will absolutely be dreaming about sourdough the entire time.