A friend sent me an email to tell me that Jules Thin Crust Pizza was offering a Passover Pizza this year. This I had to check out.
Just a little background for non-Jews. In observance of the eight day holiday, Jews not only eat lots of matzah, but we also avoid any leavened products. Most grains are out of the question, or things made from grains (like, uh, bourbon). Depending on how observant one is, it can go further. Much further. It’s actually not such a hardship. If one sticks to the basics – meats, vegetables, fruits, etc. – and doesn’t eat too much matzah, it can almost be a diet. But as the week goes on, one yearns for what one can’t have. I guess Catholics go through this too when they give up something for Lent.
So…Passover Pizza! It’s almost too good to be true. But if anyone was going to do it, Jules Thin Crust is the most likely, since they begin with flat pizza that you can then add multiple toppings.
I stopped by this past Monday to chat with Jay Stover, one of the managers of Jules’ Doylestown location. First question, what is this Passover pizza made of? Organic flour, eggs, olive oil, salt and honey (no yeast). Sounds good so far. How long is it baked? About two minutes, Jay said, which creates a thin crust. Then the customer can add toppings. With the toppings, it’s another 4-5 minutes in the oven. Also, if you want to order a whole pie to eat in or take out, you can only get it in the medium size ($8.50 and up).
While this may not be truly kosher Passover food, for those desperate and hungry for real pizza, it’s a fun option as the week goes on. Mark and I felt we had an obligation to our readership to try it (ahem).
Wednesday night we placed the order with the Newtown location of Jules, and went to pick it up together. The staff was knowledgeable about the new product, and two pies were available for slices as well. The crust was thin, with just enough hardness to hold toppings but not so much that it fell into pieces (like matzah does). In fact, the crust had a nice softness to it, reminiscent of Indian breads, like naan. Any of the normal toppings are available on the pies. The sauce and the cheese were great, as always. This was a winner!
You can order Jules’ Passover Pizza at any of their Pennsylvania locations in Doylestown, Newtown or Jenkintown. See their website for phone numbers and exact locations. Happy Holiday!
