Cooks Joy

We are in the fifth month of “We Knead To Bake” and we are baking bialy. Of course this is the first time I am even hearing about this bread. Bialy is a chewy bread like bagel, but it has its differences. Bagels are boiled before being baked whereas we simply bake the bialy. As the pictures show, the bialy has a depression in the middle and it can be filled with interesting toppings whereas the bagels have a hole in the middle.

This is a very chewy bread and the caramelized onions add great taste to the bread. There is a deep fried snack called samosa with this filling and every bite reminded me of it. The signature chewiness of the bialy comes from using flour that is high in gluten. Hence, use bread flour if available to make these. You can also make these with all-purpose flour, but the resulting bialys may not be that chewy.

The base of the bialy needs to be thin and it took a few bialys to get it right. Also, remember to poke the base or else it will rise throwing the filling; not to mention the odd shape you will end up with . For my picky eater who does not care for onions, I added just cheese during the last five minutes of baking. Off to the recipe. Recipe adapted from here.

Bialys

By Vardhini, May 24, 2013

Chewy Rolls Topped with Caramelized Onions

Total Time: 04h 15min
Prep Time: 04h 00min
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8

Ingredients:

For Dough
bread flour - 3 cups
yeast - 1 tsp - instant yeast
sugar - 1 tbsp
salt - 1 tsp
water - 1 1/4 cup (I used about 1 cup - luke warm)
For Filling
oil - 1 tbsp
cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp (jeeragam)
onion - 3 onions (about 3 cups chopped)
salt - to taste
garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Instructions:

Mix the dough ingredients and using water form a dough. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes and then knead well to form a smooth and elastic dough that is not sticky. Place in an oiled bowl and allow to double in volume.

When the dough has doubled, divide into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a ball by flattening and pinching the ends together to form a smooth ball. (refer to notes for video). Place the balls on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet and allow to rise again for about an hour.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat oil and add cumin seeds and saute for a few seconds. Add onion and saute for 10 minutes. Next add salt and continue to saute on a low -medium flame until the onion turns golden brown in color. Add garam masala and turn off the stove. Allow to cool.

When the balls are ready, work with one at a time keeping the others covered. Take a ball and form a depression in the middle. Hold it like a steering wheel with the thumbs in the middle and fingers around the edges. Keep pinching and stretching the dough while rotating at the same time making the depression wider. Take care not to poke a hole through and do not flatten the edges. The depression should be around 3 inches in diameter with 1 inch of fluffy dough around the edges making the bialy 4 inches in diameter. Poke holes with a fork in the center and place the filling.

Place the filled bialys on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 450F preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes until they are golden brown. If adding any kind of cheese, add during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Cool them on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

My Notes
1. Refer to this video for shaping the balls.
2. Store the leftover bialys in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
3. The bialys are very chewy.
4. Prick holes in the center to prevent the bialys from rising in the middle.
5. Take care not to flatten the edges while forming the bialy. Try to keep the center layer thin.

1 year ago: Strawberry Orange Smoothie
2 years ago: Bajra (Pearl Millet) Adai

PLEASE CLICK ON COLLAGES TO VIEW BIGGER IMAGES.

Pictorial
1. Mix bread flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Using water make a dough. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

2. Knead well to form a smooth dough that is elastic and not sticky. Place in an oiled bowl and keep aside to double in size.

3. Dough doubled. It took about 2 hours.

4. Punch the dough down and divide into 8 pieces.

5. Take each piece and form a smooth ball by flattening and pinching the ends together to form a smooth ball. Next cover the ball with the palm and move the hand fast to form a smooth ball.

6. Repeat for all the balls and keep on a greased or parchment covered sheet and allow to rise again.

7. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat oil and add cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds.

8. Add onions.

9. After 10 minutes, add salt and continue to saute until the onions turn golden brown in color.

10. Add garam masala and turn off the stove. Allow to cool.

11. The balls have doubled in size. Pressing on the dough should leave a dent at this point. Keep them covered while you work with each piece.

12. Take each ball and form a depression in the middle. Hold it like a steering wheel with the thumbs in the middle and the fingers around the edges. Keep pinching and stretching the dough while rotating at the same time making the depression wider. Take care not to poke a hole through and do not flatten the edges. When done, the depression with be 3 inches in diameter with 1 inch of puffy dough around the edge making the bialy 4 inches in diameter. Poke holes with a fork in the center and place the filling.

13. Place the filled bialy's on a parchment lined or greased baking sheet and bake in a 450F preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes until they are golden brown in color.