the “etzem” of pesach is not “v’inisem es nafshosechem”. you just cant have chametz…i fail to see why having a pizza like product on pesach, or pasta made from eggs and potato starch, or rolls made from whatever…ruins the etzem of pesach…can someone try and explain that? as for shabbos lights…that is completely different. while we hold that you can indeed use them, i can understand the arguments. you are not allowed to turn a light on on shabbos. a timer would ruin the spirit of that. that i can understand. however, nowhere does it say “you may not eat pizza or pasta”. you just cannot eat chametz, and therefore any way of making food similar to its chametzdige counterpart is absolutely acceptable. it used to be people only ate boiled chicken potatos and matzah on pesach…be thankful we now have more of a variety.
while on the subject of supposed excuses…do you sell your chametz on pesach? i rest my case.