Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky

By Forverts Staff February 9, 2022

Unlike fluden, chremslach or many of the delicacies featured on the Yiddish cooking show “Est Gezunterheyt,”, you’ve undoubtedly had a bagel before. We’re willing to bet, though, that you’ve never tasted one this good!

In this episode of “Est Gezunterheyt,” Rukhl Schaechter and Eve Jochnowitz show you how to make bagels from scratch in your own kitchen. Hint: the secret is steam.

Instructions:

Adapted from George Greenstein Secrets of a Jewish Baker
The Crossing Press 1993

2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoon yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon oil

6-8 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

Dissolve yeast in the water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the other ingredients beginning with 6 cups flour and mix with dough hook, adding more flour as needed to make a stiff dough.

Allow to rise one hour and form into bagels. Allow the bagels to rise about 20 minutes or until they sink slowly in a bowl of water.

Boil the bagels briefly in salted sweetened water and place them on baking sheets. Sprinkle with poppy, sesame or salt as desired.

Put an empty baking pan on the floor in a 500-degree oven, slide in the baking sheets with the bagels and pour boiling water into the empty pan to create steam.  Bake until nicely brown, about 20 minutes.

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