Pletzel Food

HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
• In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
• Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

GRANDMA EVA'S ONION BOARD (PLETZEL)

Steps:

• Make a paste with 1/2 cup warm water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Place yeast mixture into 4 cup of flour combine with the salt in a large bowl and mix together.
• In a separate bowl mix sugar, oil, additional 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of flour, and 3/4s of the beaten eggs (reserving 1/4 of them for glazing the top of the pletzel).
• Add the sugar/oil/flour/egg mixture to the flour/yeast mixture and mix together with hands (great tools!).
• Place on floured surface and knead slightly until dough comes together.
• Place in clean oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour.
• Punch down and knead again, place back in bowl and allow to rise for 15 minutes.
• Grease two sheet pans (cookie sheets with raised sides or jelly roll pans).
• Cut dough in half and pat each 1/2 into a sheet pan with the dough slightly raised around the sides.
• Brush each with remaining egg, sprinkle each with half of the sauteed onions with the olive oil remaining (patting into the dough), and sprinkle each with half of the poppy seeds.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
• Can be served immediately as is or with butter and salt.

PLETZEL

Steps:

• Place towel or shelf liner beneath stand mixer to prevent wobbling and fit mixer with dough hook. Add flour, room-temperature water and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt to bowl and mix on low speed until no patches of dry flour remain, about 4 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Turn off mixer and let dough rest for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Increase mixer speed to high and knead until dough is glossy, smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 8 to 10 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.).
• Using your fingers, coat large bowl and rubber spatula with 1 tablespoon oil. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl and pour 1 tablespoon oil over top. Flip dough over once so it is well coated with oil; cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in volume and large bubbles have formed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in poppy seeds. Transfer to bowl; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
• Coat bottom and sides of 12 x 16 inch rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Using oiled rubber spatula, turn dough out onto prepared sheet along with any oil remaining in bowl.
• Using your oiled fingertips, press dough out toward edges of sheet, taking care not to tear it. (Dough will not fit snugly into corners. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch again.) Let dough rise, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Dough will increase but not quite double in volume.).
• Using your oiled fingertips, press dough out toward edges of sheet once more. Using dinner fork, poke surface of dough 30 to 40 times. Brush top of dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Distribute onion-poppy seed mixture evenly over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge.
• Bake until golden brown, 18 to 23 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Using metal spatula, transfer pletzel to cutting board. Slice with a serrated knife and serve.

PLETZEL - JEWISH ONION BOARD

Steps:

• Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and yeast. Add the salt, olive oil, and warm water and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until all the flour is incorporated. Rub a teaspoon or less of olive oil over the dough, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set in the refrigerator overnight. It will get bubbly and double in size.
• Make the topping: In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil and onion over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until translucent and just starting to brown. When nearly done, stir in the salt.
• Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stretch the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment, and brush with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Gently scrape the dough onto the baking sheet. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Using your fingers in a dimple motion, stretch the dough into a 13-by-10 inch rectangle. If the dough shrinks back, cover loosely and let it rest for 230 to 30 minutes. Stretch again.
• Add the toppings: Spread the sautéed onion all over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds and a touch of salt (if using).
• Bake: Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan half-way. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool slightly and cut into squares to eat warm.

PARISIAN PLETZEL

Steps:

• Mix the water with the yeast in a large glass bowl. Add 4 cups of the flour, the eggs, 1/4 cup of the oil, the sugar, and the salt to the yeast mixture. Stir well, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth, adding more flour if necessary. Let the dough rise, covered with a towel, for 1 hour in a greased bowl. You can also leave the dough in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375° and grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll or flatten them into rounds about 5 inches in diameter. Place 4 pletzel on each cookie sheet and gently press down the centers. Brush with water and sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons diced onions leaving a 1/2-inch border. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over the onions and sprinkle with the poppy seeds and some kosher salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, uncovered.
• Bake the pletzels for 20 minutes, switching from top to middle rack after 10 minutes, or do them in 2 shifts on the middle rack. Then stick them under the broiler for 1 minute, keeping a sharp eye on them, to brown the onions. If you don't have a broiler, raise the heat to 550° and put each sheet on the top rack for 2 minutes or so.

HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix together to combine. In a large jug, mix together 300ml lukewarm water and the butter. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water, mixing together to form a rough dough.
• Tip out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins or until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and set aside until doubled in size, about 1hr.
• Once risen, knock out the air bubbles in the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a long rope about 60cm long.
• To form into pretzels, lay the rope in a U-shape with the curve pointing towards you. Take the two ends and cross them over.
• Take the ends, lift them backwards and press them into the curve of the U-shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Carefully place the pretzels on a baking tray lined with parchment and lightly greased with oil. Cover lightly with oiled cling film. Set aside for about 20 mins until puffy (not fully risen like bread dough).
• Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water, bring to the boil, add the baked bicarbonate of soda, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. One at a time, carefully lift the pretzels into the pan and cook for 20 secs per side. The pretzels will rise to the surface; flip with a slotted spoon.
• Use the spoon to gently lift the pretzels from the pan and return them to the baking tray. Once they have all been cooked in the water, lightly brush with the egg and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins or until a rich, dark brown. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Best served on the day made but can be frozen for up to 1 month.