Matzo Board (Toothed Roller) from Eastern Europe

This utensil, sometimes called redel in Yiddish, is a roller bristling with points or a toothed wheel used to perforate the dough of unleavened breads (matsot) before baking. These perforations prevent the dough from rising during cooking, an essential condition for the bread to remain unleavened and in conformity with the requirements of Passover, which prohibit all leavening. A domestic tool of Eastern Europe, it was employed when making matsot in family or community settings in the days preceding the festival. It testifies to the meticulous preparations surrounding the making of Passover bread before the era of industrial matsot.