Bialys Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup water, yeast, and sugar; let stand 10 minutes or until foamy.
• Add remaining 1 1/2 cups water, bread flour, and all-purpose flour.
• Mix well and add salt.
• Knead by hand or with dough hook of mixer for 8 minutes until smooth (the dough will be soft). You can add more water or flour to adjust the texture.
• Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil all sides.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 hours or until tripled.
• Punch dough down in bowl, turn it over, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another 45 minutes or until doubled.
• On a floured counter, punch dough down and roll into a cylinder shape.
• Cut cylinder into 8 rounds.
• Lay dough rounds flat on a lightly floured board, cover with a towel, and let them rest 10 minutes.
• Gently pat each dough round into a circle about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
• Place bialys on lightly oiled baking sheets or baking stone, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise an additional 30 minutes or until puffy.
• Make an indention in the center of each bialy with two fingers of each hand, pressing from the center outward, leaving a 1-inch rim.
• Place approximately 1 teaspoon of onion (or topping of your choice) in the hole of each bialy.
• Dust lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes (If you have to use two pans or stones, switch them from top to bottom after 5 minutes).
• Bialys should be golden brown, but still soft.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Bialys are best eaten fresh (with cream cheese if you like) but will keep a day or two at room temperature, or much longer frozen.

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine 1/2 cup warm water yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar; let proof.
• Mix the water, salt and flours into yeast mixture.
• Knead until smooth (dough will be soft). Use more flour as needed.
• Cover lightly and let set in warm place until tripled in size (about 1/1/2 hours).
• Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled.
• Punch dough down and roll into 2 cylinders.
• Cut each roll into 8 rounds.
• Lay flat, cover with a towel, and let rest.
• Prepare the topping mixture by mixing the oil, poppyseed, onion, and salt; set aside.
• Pat the dough into flattened round a little higher in the middle than at the outer edge (each should be about 3 1/2 inches in diameter); place on a lightly floured surface and cover with a dry towel then topped with a damp towel.
• Let rise until 1/2 in bulk half proofed (this will take 30 minutes -- don't let over raise).
• Press the bottom of shot glass about 1" in the center of each bialy to make a deep indentation.
• Spread the topping mixture over the bialys and let rise for 15 minutes more until 3/4 proofed, taking care not to let them over rise.
• Preheat oven to 425°F while the bialys are rising.
• Carefully transfer the bialys to 2 large 14x17 inch ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake on the upper and lower shelves of oven for 6 to 7 minutes; turn and switch the pans on the shelves so they bake evenly 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Can be frozen.

Steps:

• Combine bread flour, yeast, salt, and water for dough in a bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon and mix until a very wet, soft, and sticky dough forms. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 12 hours.
• When ready to make the bialys, heat olive oil for filling in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until onion softens, sweetens, and turns golden brown, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add bread crumbs, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, green onion, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine and cool down until needed.
• Uncover dough; it should be bubbly. Scrape it away from the sides of the bowl with a spatula and transfer onto a floured work surface. Dust a little flour over top and gently press dough with your hands to flatten. Divide it into 8 equal portions and roll each into a ball, using a bit of flour as needed. Stretch each ball gently and tuck dough under the bottom; place on a baking sheet lined with generously floured parchment paper or a silicone liner (such as Silpat®). Dust the tops with flour and carefully cover with a dish towel; let proof until just about doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Flour your fingers and pick up one dough ball. Press and pull on the center to form it into a ring shape; the center of the dough will be thin and the edges will be thicker. Make sure the centers are very thin but be careful not to tear them open. Repeat with remaining balls.
• Fill the center of each with no more than a rounded teaspoon of onion-poppy seed filling, then gently press the filling up the sides toward the outer rings. (You will have extra filling.) Spray bialys with some cold water and sprinkle poppy seeds over top.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until puffed and nicely browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for about 20 minutes before serving.