These home-made bagels and chopped shmear using Pearls Specialties Martini Olives give a twist to the classic cream cheese and lox topping.
Recipe and image attributed by Chef Joe Sasto
Ingredients
Bagel
- 150g (3⁄4 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 250g (1 cup plus 2 tsp) warm water
- 24g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 20g (1 tbsp) diastatic malt powder
- 500g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) bread flour
- 9g (1 1⁄2 tsp) sea salt
- (Optional) Seeds to coat (a mix of black & white sesame seeds plus poppy seeds)
Schmear
- 1/4c cream cheese
- 1/4c @pearls_olives Specialties Martini Olives
- 1tb scallions, sliced
- 1tb dill
- 4 slices smoked salmon
Cooking Instructions
Bagel Instructions:
- Activate the Starter: Ensure your sourdough starter is bubbly and active. If it’s been in the fridge, take it out and feed it a few hours before starting the recipe to activate it.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bubbly sourdough starter, warm water, granulated sugar, and diastatic malt powder. Stir until well combined.
- Incorporate Flour and Salt: Gradually add the bread flour and sea salt to the mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment for this step.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for about 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the Bagels: Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and shape each portion into a ball. Then, using your thumb, poke a hole in the center of each ball and gently stretch it to form a bagel shape.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with a kitchen towel and let them rise for another 30-60 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the granulated sugar to the boiling water.
- Boil the Bagels: Carefully lower the risen bagels into the boiling water, a few at a time, and boil for about 1 minute per side. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them back on the baking sheet.
- Bake: Once all the bagels have been boiled, transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Coating (Optional): Place the seeds onto a flat tray and roll your bagels to coat the outer.
- Cool and Enjoy: Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving with the chopped shmear or your favorite topping.
Schmear instructions:
- Chop all ingredients except the cream cheese. Mix with the cream cheese and shmear on the bagels!
