a pinch of salt
a pinch of salt
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Recipe #26
Bagels with Cream Cheese,
Crispy Fried Capers and Tomato
(and other Seasonal Variations)

If you've ever been to New York or London you probably already had the perfect bagels—crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and just yummy.

Bagels have a long history—they have been mentioned as early as 1610 by Jewish Ashkenazi communities in Kraków—and given as a gift to women in childbirth. They came to the U.S. and UK in the late 19th and early 20th century with Jewish immigrants and flourished in New York and London. The famous Brick Lane Beigel Bake is a legacy of that history, so if you happen to be in London, make sure to go. Mentions of boiled-then-baked ring-shaped breads have been recorded even earlier, in a 13th-century Syrian cookbook (a similar but different kind of bread named ka'ak). It is assumed that the bagel was inspired by Pretzels brought from Germany.

They are much easier to make than you might think, and the result is worth it: warm, fresh bagels that fill your kitchen with the best kind of comforting smell. No special equipment required, just a bit of patience and time.

a_pinch_of_salt_

INGREDIENTS

440 g bread flour, ideally with at least 12% protein (+ a bit more flour for kneading) – you can also use spelt / whole grain-spelt, or rye flour

300 ml warm water (± 60 ml more if the dough is too firm)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (7 g)

15 g sugar, or rice syrup for the yeast

1 ½ teaspoons of salt (6 g)

Optional: sesame seeds, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse salt (as topping)

Note (if you want to use fresh yeast)
1 package of dry yeast (à 7 grams) corresponds to 1/2 fresh yeast cube (21 grams).

METHOD

1. Pour the yeast into warm (not hot) water, add the sugar and let it sit for a bit (5-10 minutes). Then stir everything until dissolved. 

2. Now take a bowl and pour the flour and the salt in. Make a well in the middle and slowly add in the yeast mix and mix. You might need to add more water. 

3. Work the dough until everything is smooth and well combined and knead it for about 10 minutes until it is elastic enough (it will feel a bit firm and stiff).

4. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest (and rise) in a warm place for about 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. 

5. Divide the dough roughly into 4 x 120 g pieces (okay, I admit, I measured mine with a scale :). Shape each piece into a ball, press it gently moving your hand back and forth until you have a longer piece that you shape into a ring. Repeat with the other 3 parts. Cover and let them rest for another 30 minutes.

6. Now the bath: bring a large pot of water to a boil. And in the meantime you can turn on the oven. Add a tablespoon of baking soda and salt to the water (you can add a little malt or rice syrup, too, this will enhance the flavor, crust and texture). Now gently lower the bagels into the water and let them boil for 1 minute, before flipping them over for another minute. You can carefully take them out now.

7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (or whatever you like) and bake them in the oven until golden, for about 20 minutes (airfryer works to but here you only need 10 min. and then flip for another 3-4 minutes).

8. Let them cool for a second and then spread them with cream cheese, tomatoes cress and whatever you like. If you'd like to try the crunchy fried capers: heat up some oil, drain the capers and then fry them for 2-3 minutes. Drain them on paper towels and then add them to your bagel. They are so good, I promise! 

Enjoy! (They are best within the first hours but you can freeze them if you have too many left over).

Note:
I enjoy this simple topping and don't need anything else but if you're craving something different try roasted carrot on a lemony bean hummus with carrot-green pesto, or kimchi with cream cheese, and if you're feeling extra add fried tofu—heaven.

a_pinch_of_salt_
a_pinch_of_salt_
a_pinch_of_salt_
a_pinch_of_salt_
a_pinch_of_salt_

Recipe #26
Bagels with Cream Cheese,
Crispy Fried Capers and Tomato
(and other Seasonal Variations)

If you've ever been to New York or London you probably already had the perfect bagels—crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and just yummy.

Bagels have a long history—they have been mentioned as early as 1610 by Jewish Ashkenazi communities in Kraków—and given as a gift to women in childbirth. They came to the U.S. and UK in the late 19th and early 20th century with Jewish immigrants and flourished in New York and London. The famous Brick Lane Beigel Bake is a legacy of that history, so if you happen to be in London, make sure to go. Mentions of boiled-then-baked ring-shaped breads have been recorded even earlier, in a 13th-century Syrian cookbook (a similar but different kind of bread named ka'ak). It is assumed that the bagel was inspired by Pretzels brought from Germany.

They are much easier to make than you might think, and the result is worth it: warm, fresh bagels that fill your kitchen with the best kind of comforting smell. No special equipment required, just a bit of patience and time.

INGREDIENTS

440 g bread flour, ideally with at least 12% protein (+ a bit more flour for kneading) – you can also use spelt / whole grain-spelt, or rye flour

300 ml warm water (± 60 ml more if the dough is too firm)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (7 g)

15 g sugar, or rice syrup for the yeast

1 ½ teaspoons of salt (6 g)

Optional: sesame seeds, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse salt (as topping)

Note (if you want to use fresh yeast)
1 package of dry yeast (à 7 grams) corresponds to 1/2 fresh yeast cube (21 grams).

METHOD

1. Pour the yeast into warm (not hot) water, add the sugar and let it sit for a bit (5-10 minutes). Then stir everything until dissolved. 

2. Now take a bowl and pour the flour and the salt in. Make a well in the middle and slowly add in the yeast mix and mix. You might need to add more water. 

3. Work the dough until everything is smooth and well combined and knead it for about 10 minutes until it is elastic enough (it will feel a bit firm and stiff).

4. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest (and rise) in a warm place for about 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. 

5. Divide the dough roughly into 4 x 120 g pieces (okay, I admit, I measured mine with a scale :). Shape each piece into a ball, press it gently moving your hand back and forth until you have a longer piece that you shape into a ring. Repeat with the other 3 parts. Cover and let them rest for another 30 minutes.

6. Now the bath: bring a large pot of water to a boil. And in the meantime you can turn on the oven. Add a tablespoon of baking soda and salt to the water (you can add a little malt or rice syrup, too, this will enhance the flavor, crust and texture). Now gently lower the bagels into the water and let them boil for 1 minute, before flipping them over for another minute. You can carefully take them out now.

7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (or whatever you like) and bake them in the oven until golden, for about 20 minutes (airfryer works to but here you only need 10 min. and then flip for another 3-4 minutes).

8. Let them cool for a second and then spread them with cream cheese, tomatoes cress and whatever you like. If you'd like to try the crunchy fried capers: heat up some oil, drain the capers and then fry them for 2-3 minutes. Drain them on paper towels and then add them to your bagel. They are so good, I promise! 

Enjoy! (They are best within the first hours but you can freeze them if you have too many left over).

Note:
I enjoy this simple topping and don't need anything else but if you're craving something different try roasted carrot on a lemony bean hummus with carrot-green pesto, or kimchi with cream cheese, and if you're feeling extra add fried tofu—heaven.

a_pinch_of_salt_