Even as a celebrated and iconic food in New York City, the Bialy doesn’t hold much of a reputation outside of the New York Metropolitan area. It is only a matter of time until cultures around the world appreciate the bialy’s light, airy and delicious taste and texture.
Brought to America by Polish immigrants in the late 1800s, bialys aren’t boiled like bagels so their dough retains a lighter and fluffier texture. Plus, without that extra step, you’ll be able to gobble them up faster. Enjoy in the traditional Polish fashion – still warm with butter spread on top so it pools in the middle – or go authentic New York style with cream cheese, lox, red onion, and capers. You can even stuff the middle of the bialy with poppy seeds, onions, and more!
Ingredients for bialys
For the Dough
- 2 cups (480 ml) water lukewarm
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) Dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 2.2 lbs (1 kilogram) flour
- 2 tablespoons Salt
For the topping
- olive oil for brushing
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 onion large, finely chopped
- coarse salt
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
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1. Pour water into a bowl, add yeast and sugar and mix. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until the mixture starts to foam.
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2. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl, add the yeast mixture and mix well. Mix first with a wooden spoon and then with your hands, until the dough becomes soft and smooth. Form into a ball, place in a greased bowl and let it rise for about an hour or until the dough has almost doubled in size.
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3. Divide into 16 balls weighing around 3.3 oz (95 grams) each. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Place in intervals on a tray lined with parchment paper and let rise for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450F degrees (230C).
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4. Brush the puffed dough balls with olive oil and sprinkle with poppy seeds, place some onion in the hollow of each ball and sprinkle a little coarse salt on it.
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5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the pastries are browned.