Onion And Poppy Seed Bialys Recipes

SMOKY ONION AND POPPY SEED BIALYS

Steps:

• The day before you want to make the bialys, make the poolish starter. Mix the flour and yeast with 50ml warm water in a bowl, then cover with clingfilm and leave overnight.
• The next day, start the dough by putting the onion in a small pan with 150ml water. Heat until the water just begins to bubble, then immediately take off the heat - you don't want to lose any of the quantity through evaporation or the dough might become dry. Leave to cool to room temperature. Pour off the water into a measuring jug and check it's 150ml - if not, top up. Keep the onions aside for later.
• Meanwhile, mix the yeast with 100ml warm water and leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes until foamy. Tip the flours into a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, and when the yeast mixture is foaming, add the poolish starter and onion water. Turn the mixer to a low speed to combine the dough, then once it's all together, turn up the speed to a medium setting and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
• Add the salt and knead for 1 minute more. (Alternatively make by hand - mix first with a wooden spoon, followed by your hands and then knead for 10-15 minutes on a lightly floured worksurface). Leave the dough in a bowl, covered by oiled clingfilm, in a warmish area until doubled in size for up to 2 hours.
• Knock back the dough by punching it down a couple of times, then cut into 8 equal pieces. Keep the rest of the dough covered while you work, one piece at a time, on a lightly floured worksurface. Shape the dough into flat rounds and poke the middles to make a dip for the filling - then space on a baking sheet, lightly dusted with flour. You're going to need to cover the bialys with a deep roasting tin while baking - so check now that one fits, and space them across two trays if necessary.
• When all are shaped, cover loosely with clingfilm or a slightly damp tea towel. Leave to rise again for 20 minutes until puffy and round.
• While the dough is rising, make the filling. Finely chop the blanched onion, then put in a small pan with the oil. Fry gently until softened and really golden, then stir in the smoked sea salt followed by the paprika. Cook for a few minutes more, then take off the heat and stir in the poppy seeds and some ground black pepper. Cool.
• Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. When the bialys are ready to bake, spoon about 1 tbsp of onions into the centre of each and sprinkle over a few more poppy seeds and some sesame seeds. Cover the bialys with an upturned deep tin, and put an ovenproof weight on top - a heavy baking dish, or even a brick.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the tin covering them and bake for 5-8 minutes more until the bialys are very lightly golden. Eat immediately or within a day as bialys don't keep long. If you do have leftovers, split and toast, or pop them in the freezer.

BIALYS

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.