Replies

Another Day, another light to show the way.. This recipe is a hand-me-down from my earliest days in my old, Little Italy neighborhood, and from a dear old friend of my Great Grandmother, a Polish emigrant family matriarch that would coffee klatch with Nana and the gals at our kitchen table and bake that greatest Holiday foods I have ever eaten.. ENJOY!.. Those memories...sigh Authentic New York Bialys
Not a Bagel, but close, it's a variation called a Bialy. What's the difference you ask? Well I'm glad you asked because I know the answer.. Both are of Jewish origin, one is boiled and the other baked, both are made from dense, tight dough. However, when it comes texture, a bagel is a bit more tough and chewier while a bialy is lighter, more like a bread, or soft pretzel, with a wonderful surprise.

OK you say, so what is a bialy? A Bialy is the abbreviation for Bialystoker Kuchen [kuchen meaning “cake” in Yiddish]. Bialystok is a city in Poland, where these fabulous breads originated. Bialystoerian's introduced Braily's to the USA around the turn of the century along with the world renowned bagel.

Bialys have a couple of steps in additional step in shaping, and that surprise I was telling you about. The dough is first divided and rounded into dough balls, then they are allowed to proof. When the Bialys are three quarter proofed, they are indented and stretched in the middle to form a thin membrane and finally smeared with a caramelized onion paste.

They are baked in a hot oven for a short time to produce a pale and lightly brown spotted Bialy. This is the only way to produce an authentic bialy look. The perfect Bialy can be filled in a similar way to a bagel, however bialys lend themselves more to savory fillings rather than sweet due to the infused onion scent they carry.

Authentic Polish Bialys

Cornmeal
Onion Paste Topping (recipe below)
2 cups warn water (110 to 115 degrees), divided
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups bread flour
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, chilled*

1) Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Prepare Onion Paste Topping; set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup water, yeast, and sugar; let stand 10 minutes or until foamy.
3) Add remaining 1 1/2 cups water, salt, bread flour, and all-purpose flour.
4) Knead by hand or with dough hook of mixer for 8 minutes until smooth (the dough will
be soft). If you think the dough is too moist, add flour a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is looking dry and gnarly, add warm water a tablespoons at a time.
5) Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 hours or until tripled in bulk.
6) Punch dough down in bowl, turn it over, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
7) On a floured board or counter, punch dough down and roll into a cylinder shape. With a sharp knife, cut
cylinder into 8 rounds.
8) Lay dough rounds flat on a lightly floured board, cover with a towel, and let them rest 10 minutes.
Gently pat each dough round into circles (a little higher in the middle than at the edge), each about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
9) Place bialys on prepared baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise an additional 30 minutes or until increased by about half in bulk (don’t let them over-rise).
10) Make an indention in the center of each bialy with two fingers of each hand, pressing from the center outward, leaving a 1-inch rim.
11) Place approximately 1 teaspoon of Onion Paste Topping in the hole of each Bilay.
12) Dust lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake on upper and lower shelves of the oven for 6 to 7 minutes, then switch pans and reverse positions of pans (front to back), and bake another 5 to 6 minutes until bialys are lightly browned. NOTE: These are soft rolls,
and it is important not to bake them too long or they will be very dry. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.
After cooling, immediately place in a plastic bag (this will allow the exterior to soften slightly). NOTE: These rolls are best eaten fresh, preferably lightly toasted and smeared with cream cheese. For longer storage, keep in the freezer.
* Tip: To help slow down the yeast, the flour should be chilled in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 24 hours before use. Be aware that chilled flour often requires a little more development than flour at room temperature and will also feel tighter at the start of mixing. Don't be alarmed: the dough will become more elastic and extensible as it warms up.
Makes 8 glorious Bialys.

ONION PASTE TOPPING

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds (optional)
1 cup onion, pureed, and caramelized*
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

*Place the onion puree, salt and olive oil into a heavy bottomed frying pan and cook for approx. 45 minutes or until the onion puree has turned a pale brown color. It should be a moist and caramelized paste. (optional) Fold in poppy seed. Store in a covered container until required.
Savor the flavor of the past.. Think of me smiling.. :)