Bialys
It's Vesak Day (Buddha's Birthday & Public Holiday)
today and so thought I'd try out a recipe from one of my new
cookbooks, Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread: A Baker's Book of
Techniques and Recipes. Let me first clarify, until my eyes
laid upon the recipe I had no idea what Bialys
(Bee-ah-lees) were, so while I thought they looked and tasted
pretty good, I have nothing to compare it to. I of course still did
some research and looked at some images for reference and I
think... I'm doing okay for a beginner.
It's supposed to be like a bagel but without the hole but with a
depression in the center for for an onion filling. Though it's not
quite as dense, it's chewier like a super thick pizza crust! The
natural flavour of the dough really comes through and it is
beautiful. I really liked it! It's pretty easy to prepare, just
simple steps between a few hours - if you have the time. Great for
breakfast, lightly toasted have it plain or with a generous amount
of cream cheese! Mmm!
Kossar's
Bialys in New York is apparently the best place (in the world)
to get yourself an original Bialy. So if you haven't already
patronised their fine establishment, please do so on my behalf!
Makes 12+
5⅛ Cups Bread Flour
1⅝ Cups Water
2 Tsp Salt
¾ Tsp Yeast
1 Med Onion
4 Cloves Garlic
Breadcrumbs (I omitted this because I didn't have any)
Onion Filling:
Finely chop Onions and Garlic. Add some fresh white breadcrumbs, about 10% of the weight of the onions and garlic. Place in covered container and set aside or refrigerated until needed.
Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix in a very sturdy mixer for 3 minutes on low. Leave for 10-20 minutes to autolyse. Mix dough on medium for 6 minutes. Cover and leave to ferment for 2 hours. After one hour, knead for about a minute and return to bowl to continue fermenting.
Divide dough into 85g (3oz) portions, form into boules and cover and leave to proof on generously floured sheet pans for 1½ hours.
Preheat oven 250C with baking stone set on the middle rack, one hour before baking.
Pick up a roll, and press both thumbs into the center of it creating a hollow depression. Stretch the hollow outwards as you rotate the roll. So you have a circular wall around a thin membrane in the centre. The centre depression should be about 1½ inches in diameter.
Place shaped Bialy on well floured baker's peel. When you are ready to bake, spoon 1 tsp full of onion filling in the centre and baked for 8 minutes. The Bialys should be nicely browned.
Leave to cool on cooling racks for a few minutes before eating them!