Rye Pretzels Food

RYE PRETZELS

Steps:

• Combine 1½ cups lukewarm water (110 to 115 degrees), yeast and honey in a large bowl; stir to combine. Add the rye flour, 2¾ cups all-purpose flour and kosher salt; stir again.
• Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 12 to 15 minutes, adding up to ¼ cup all-purpose flour if needed, until the dough is soft and smooth but not sticky. (Tip: to prevent dough from sticking to hands, rub a small amount of melted butter or vegetable oil on them.)
• Lightly brush a large bowl with some of the melted butter. Shape the dough into a ball, seam side down, and transfer to the bowl; brush the surface of the dough with melted butter, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm spot for up to 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Lightly brush two parchment-lined baking sheets with butter. Punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 pieces. With your hands, roll one piece into a snake with thinly tapered ends, about 16 inches long. (Cover remaining pieces with plastic wrap while working.) Transfer to prepared baking sheet, looping one end, then the other, over the midpoint of the roll, making a pretzel shape. Repeat with remaining dough. Let the pretzels rest 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, placing two racks in and above the center of the oven. Meanwhile, bring 10 cups water to a boil in a large pot. When the pretzels are ready, stir the baking soda into the boiling water. (Note: if you double the recipe, make a fresh pot of the baking-soda wash for each batch.) Gently lift 2 or 3 pretzels, depending on the surface area of your pot, and slide them into the bath, knot side down. Poach for 30 seconds, turn them over and poach 30 seconds more. Using a long-handled mesh strainer, transfer the pretzels to a kitchen-towel-lined sheet tray to drain, then return them to the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle freely with sea salt. Repeat with remaining pretzels.
• Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, turning the trays halfway through, until dark brown. Transfer to a cooling rack until just cool enough to eat. Brush the tops with melted butter, if you like. Serve with mustard.

SOUR RYE PRETZELS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat; set aside until cool.
• In the detached bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together yeast, 1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees), and a pinch of sugar. Set aside until mixture is foamy, about 6 minutes.
• Attach bowl to electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment. On low speed, add yogurt, onions, salt, caraway seeds, pepper, eggs, and rye flour. Slowly add enough all-purpose flour to make a soft but not sticky dough. Knead on medium-low speed until dough springs back when pressed with a finger, about 6 minutes. Brush the inside of a large mixing bowl with olive oil. Transfer dough to bowl; cover with oiled plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Sprinkle three large baking sheets with cornmeal. Using a kitchen scale, divide dough into 2-ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a 12- to 14-inch length, and make each into a U shape. Cross the end of the U, and then fold crossed ends so they are draped over bottom of the U. If desired, snip each end for a cleaner shape.
• Place pretzels, 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 25 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together remaining egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Brush tops with mixture; sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool at least 5 minutes before serving.