Poland: Bagels

 

It’s always good to have a fridge-emptying plan on hand, especially after big lunch and dinner gatherings, when the fridge is jam-packed with bowls of sundry leftovers from previous meals.

Here are delicious lemon scented poppy seed bagels we can prepare together, and stuff with whatever is in the fridge.

Ingredients for 8 bagel

  • 1 envelope of yeast for pizza or savory pies
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 300 ml warm water
  • 500 g Manitoba flour
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons Limmi lemon Juice
  • poppy seeds to taste

Preparation

Pour the sugar and yeast in 120 ml of warm water (do not stir). Let it rest for 5 minutes, then stir  until the yeast and sugar dissolve.

Place the flour on the work surface and add the salt. Make a hole in the middle of the flour, and pour the dissolved sugar, yeast and water mixture into it.  Place an additional 90 ml of water into the hole, then start combining the ingredients, adding Limmi lemon juice, and more water if needed. Knead until the dough is compact and elastic.

Cover, and let the dough rise for about 1 hour in a warm, dry place.

Thereafter, take the dough, “slam” it against the work surface a couple of times and let it rest for another 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 round buns, dip your finger in flour and poke the center of each bun, to give it a ring shape. Lay the bagels on slightly greased baking paper, and while they rest for 10 minutes pre-heat the oven at 220°.

Brush the bagels with egg yolk, dust with poppy seeds and bake them in the oven for 20 minutes.

Once they are golden take them out, let them rest, and stuff them with anything you wish, sweet or savory as it may be.