BAGELS

Bagels are widely spread in America and eaten on a dayly basis by many people. A bagel is a ring-shaped bread made with high gluten flour. It is poached in boiling water previously to being baked. This particular method gives bagels a chewy, dense and tender interior as well as a nice shiny crust. These are characteristics that differentiate bagels from other breads… The history of bagels is very interesting and on the level of it’s undeniable popularity.

According to lengends, the very first bagel to have been rolled was in 1683, when an unknkown Jewish baker from Vienna wanted to pay tribute to the King of Poland, Jan Sobieski, who had just saved the Austrians from the Turkish invaders. Since the king was a talented horseman, the baker decided to shape his dough into an uneven circle ressembling a riding stirrup (or “Beugel” in German). This bread became soon very successful throughout Eastern Europe and with time, it’s original shape changed (a hole was added in the centre) and it’s name was modified (from the different variations of the word “Beigel”, “Beugel” and “Bugel”, a new name finally got adopted: bagel which surely originates from Yiddish).

In 1880, the thousands of Eastern European Jewish immigrants who arrived in North America brought with them this bread speciality. From this time on, bagels became very popular in the USA and Canada. Cities like New York, Chicago, Montreal and Toronto became closely associated to this tradinional bread because of their large Jewish communities. Over the years, the traditional flavors like pumpernickel, onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and plain have been joined by many different sorts of modern creations like cinnamon, raisin, muesli, apple, blueberry, spinach, non-Kosher ham and any other taste that can be imagined. But bagels remain the same in essence; the old bagel-making tradition is still alive and intact. The know-how has evolved, has been perpetuated and passed onto new generations of bakers.

~ Bagels ~
Recipe (only the bread) taken from Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno's "Ultimate Bread" cookbook and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes 8 "Bagels".

Ingredients:
2 Tsp Dried yeast
1 1/2 Tbs Grannulated sugar
300ml Water
500g Strong white flour (plain)
1 1/2 Tsp Salt

Method:
1. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into 100ml of the water in a bowl. Leave four 5 minutes and then stir to disolve.
2. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl, make a well in a centre of the flour and pour in the yeasted water.
3. Pour the remaining water, holding back about half, into the well. Mix in the flour and stir in the reserved water, as needed, to form a firm, moist dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic for about 10 minutes. As you knead the dough, gradually work in as much additional flour as you can comfortably knead.
5. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning into coat and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6. Knock back the dough, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.
7. Cut the dough into 8 equalized pieces.
8. Shape each piece into a ball and form each bowl into a ring by inserting a floured finger into the centre of each one. Work the finger in a circle to stretch and widen the hole. Then twirl the ring around the index finger of one hand and the thumb of the other hand until the hole is about a third of the bagel’s diameter.
9. Place the bagels on a lightly oiled baking sheet, then cover with a damp tea towl and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
10. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then reduce the heat to allow the water to simmer. Use a perforated skimmer to carefully lower the bagels into the water in batches of two or three at a time.
11. Transfer the drained to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
12. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes or until golden.

Remarks:
The dough should be very stiff and firm.
When you poach the bagels never cover the pan. It takes about 1 minute until they rise to the surface. Then remove them from the water with a perforated skimmer.

Serving suggestions:
Eat with the sweet or savory spread of your choice.
Bagels are particularly fine with cheese, dry meat or dry sausages.
The are also fine when toasted or served as sandwiches.

(Bagels -Pic by Rosa www.rosas-yummy-yums.blogspot.com)
(Bagel Sandwich -Pic by www.funkyfood.dsl.pipex.com)