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Bialys

Bialys

Cuisine:Polish

Course:Bread

30m prep 12m cook 1h ready

8 bialys A cousin of the bagel, a bialy is a chewy, flat roll with a depression in its center filled with a mixture of onions and poppy seeds. Originally from Bialystok, Poland, these exceptional little breads are difficult to find in the United States outside New York City.

Ingredients

Servings:
  • 1
    • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (265g) warm (105° to 115°F) water
    • 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
    • 2 ½ teaspoons sugar
    • 1 cup (130g) bread flour
    • 1 tablespoon (10g) vegetable shortening, melted
    • 1 ¾ teaspoons salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoons malt syrup or sugar
    • 3 to 3 ½ cups (395 to 460g) bread flour
    • 4 quarts water
    • 1 tablespoon malt syrup or sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • Cornmeal
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook: 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (265g) warm (105° to 115°F) water; 1 envelope (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast; 2 ½ teaspoons sugar
    2. Stir in: 1 cup (130g) bread flour; 1 tablespoon (10g) vegetable shortening, melted; 1 ¾ teaspoons salt; 1 ½ teaspoons malt syrup or sugar
    3. Gradually stir in: 3 to 3 ½ cups (395 to 460g) bread flour
    4. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Let rest, covered, 15 to 20 minutes.
    5. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 10 inches long, tapering the ends. Wet the ends to help seal, and form into rings, stretching the top end over and around the bottom end and pinching them together underneath. Let rise, covered, on a lightly floured surface until puffy, about 15 minutes.
    6. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
    7. Bring to a boil in a large pot: 4 quarts water; 1 tablespoon malt syrup or sugar; ½ teaspoon salt
    8. Drop the rings 4 at a time into the boiling water. As the bagels surface, turn them over and cook about 45 seconds longer. Skim out the bagels, allowing the water to drain off them, and place on an ungreased baking sheet coated with: Cornmeal
    9. Sprinkle with toppings of choice, if desired. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 Bagels through the resting period
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare the dough for: Bagels through the resting period

  2. Step 2.

    Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place on an oiled baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise until puffy, about 1 hour.

  3. Step 3.

    Meanwhile, heat in a medium skillet over medium heat: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  4. Step 4.

    Add and cook, stirring, until very soft and just starting to brown: 1 medium onion, very finely chopped

  5. Step 5.

    Remove from the heat and stir in: 1 tablespoon poppy seeds; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  6. Step 6.

    Preheat the oven to 450°F.

  7. Step 7.

    When the dough is ready, stretch each piece of dough into a roughly 6-inch round. Use your fingers to press the dough thinner in the center than at the edges. Place the bialys on 2 greased baking sheets. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the onion filling onto the center of each bialy, where the dough is thinner, and spread out the filling so it covers the thinner part of the dough. Bake until the bialys are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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