Sesame bagels recipe
These oblong Palestinian bagels are coated in a delicious sesame seed glaze. Nicknamed 'Jerusalem sesame bagels' after the fact that all Palestinians say that the bagels made in Jerusalem taste better than those made anywhere else in the country. This recipe will not taste the same as the ones sold on the streets, but they are a delicious and fantastic placeholder until one finally visits the Old City.
Recipe from The Palestinian Table by Reem Kassis (published by Phaidon, available to buy now).
Ingredients
- 500 g plain (all-purpose) flour or white bread flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 350 ml full-fat (whole) milk, warm
- 1 tbsp dry fast-action (active) yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for rubbing)
- 17.6 oz plain (all-purpose) flour or white bread flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 12.3 fl oz full-fat (whole) milk, warm
- 1 tbsp dry fast-action (active) yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for rubbing)
- 17.6 oz plain (all-purpose) flour or white bread flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups full-fat (whole) milk, warm
- 1 tbsp dry fast-action (active) yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for rubbing)
- 150 g hulled sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp grape molasses
- 5.3 oz hulled sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp grape molasses
- 5.3 oz hulled sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp grape molasses
Details
- Cuisine: Palestinian
- Recipe Type: Bagels
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- Put all the dough ingredients except the olive oil into the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the dough hook.
- Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together in a soft and pliable ball. Alternatively, mix in a large bowl and knead by hand until smooth and pliable. If the mixture appears too stiff, add a little milk and continue to knead. You are looking for a soft, elastic but robust dough.
- Rub with oil, cover the bowl with a damp dish towel or plastic wrap (clingfilm), and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sesame coating. In a large shallow bowl, combine the sesame seeds and grape molasses with 1 tablespoon of water. Mix, adding more as necessary, until you have a wet mixture that is neither too sticky and thick that it clumps up, nor too thin. You just want to be able to coat the dough in the seeds and have them stick.
- Once the dough has risen, gently punch down to release the air bubbles.
- Divide into 6 equal-sized portions and place on a lightly floured work surface.
- Roll and stretch each piece into a log about 8–12 inches/20–30 cm long, then attach the ends together to form a circle. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C/gas mark 8.
- Take each dough ring, dip it in the sesame mixture, and gently roll and stretch the ring until you have a long oval shape, similar to a stretched out ‘0’. Repeat with each ring, then set aside on a baking sheet to rest a final time, about 10 minutes.
- Place the baking sheet or sheets into the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a deep golden color and cooked through. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
- Serve warm with za’atar or white cheese and vegetables, and sweet tea. Freeze leftovers for up to 1 month and reheat in the oven before serving.
This recipe is from The Palestinian Table by Reem Kassis (published by Phaidon, available to buy now). Photography by Dan Perez.
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