Onion Board Pletzel Recipe 55

JEWISH ONION BREAD

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Stir together 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl, then add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil and stir until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding enough of remaining cup flour, a little at a time, as needed to prevent stickiness, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Form dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Cook onions while dough rises:
• Cook onions in remaining tablespoon oil with remaining teaspoon salt in an 8- to 9-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Cover surface of onions with a round of parchment or wax paper (or cover skillet with a tight-fitting lid) and cook onions, lifting parchment to stir frequently, until very soft and pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Shape and bake bread:
• Transfer dough to a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan and stretch dough, first by pulling with your hands, then by pressing your fingertips into dough and working outward from center, until dough fills pan. Prick dough all over at 1-inch intervals with a fork, leaving a 1-inch border all around sides, and cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap (oiled side down). Let dough rise slightly in draft-free place at warm room temperature, 30 minutes.
• While dough rises, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Gently brush dough with some egg wash, being careful not to deflate dough. Scatter onions evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border, then sprinkle with nigella seeds.
• Bake until top is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Lift bread from pan and transfer to a rack to cool slightly.
• Cut into roughly 3-inch squares before serving.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451).

GRANDMA EVA'S ONION BOARD (PLETZEL)

Steps:

• Make a paste with 1/2 cup warm water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Place yeast mixture into 4 cup of flour combine with the salt in a large bowl and mix together.
• In a separate bowl mix sugar, oil, additional 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of flour, and 3/4s of the beaten eggs (reserving 1/4 of them for glazing the top of the pletzel).
• Add the sugar/oil/flour/egg mixture to the flour/yeast mixture and mix together with hands (great tools!).
• Place on floured surface and knead slightly until dough comes together.
• Place in clean oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour.
• Punch down and knead again, place back in bowl and allow to rise for 15 minutes.
• Grease two sheet pans (cookie sheets with raised sides or jelly roll pans).
• Cut dough in half and pat each 1/2 into a sheet pan with the dough slightly raised around the sides.
• Brush each with remaining egg, sprinkle each with half of the sauteed onions with the olive oil remaining (patting into the dough), and sprinkle each with half of the poppy seeds.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
• Can be served immediately as is or with butter and salt.

PLETZEL - JEWISH ONION BOARD

Steps:

• Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and yeast. Add the salt, olive oil, and warm water and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until all the flour is incorporated. Rub a teaspoon or less of olive oil over the dough, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set in the refrigerator overnight. It will get bubbly and double in size.
• Make the topping: In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil and onion over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until translucent and just starting to brown. When nearly done, stir in the salt.
• Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stretch the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment, and brush with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Gently scrape the dough onto the baking sheet. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Using your fingers in a dimple motion, stretch the dough into a 13-by-10 inch rectangle. If the dough shrinks back, cover loosely and let it rest for 230 to 30 minutes. Stretch again.
• Add the toppings: Spread the sautéed onion all over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds and a touch of salt (if using).
• Bake: Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan half-way. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool slightly and cut into squares to eat warm.

ONION BOARD (PLETZEL) RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• 1. Make a paste with 1/2 cup warm water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. 2. Place yeast mixture into 4 cup of flour in a large bowl and mix together. 3. In a separate bowl mix sugar, oil, additional 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of flour, and 3/4s of the beaten eggs (reserving 1/4 of them for glazing the top of the pletzel). 4. Add the sugar/oil/flour/egg mixture to the flour/yeast mixture and mix together with hands (great tools!). 5. Place on floured surface and knead slightly until dough comes together. 6. Place in clean oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour. 7. Punch down and knead again, place back in bowl and allow to rise for 15 minutes. 8. Grease two sheet pans (cookie sheets with raised sides or jelly roll pans). 9. Cut dough in half and pat each 1/2 into a sheet pan with the dough slightly raised around the sides. 10. Brush each with remaining egg, sprinkle each with half of the sauteed onions with the olive oil remaining (patting into the dough), and sprinkle each with half of the poppy seeds. 11. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. 12. Can be served immediately as is or with butter and salt.

PARISIAN PLETZEL

Steps:

• Mix the water with the yeast in a large glass bowl. Add 4 cups of the flour, the eggs, 1/4 cup of the oil, the sugar, and the salt to the yeast mixture. Stir well, then turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth, adding more flour if necessary. Let the dough rise, covered with a towel, for 1 hour in a greased bowl. You can also leave the dough in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375° and grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll or flatten them into rounds about 5 inches in diameter. Place 4 pletzel on each cookie sheet and gently press down the centers. Brush with water and sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons diced onions leaving a 1/2-inch border. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over the onions and sprinkle with the poppy seeds and some kosher salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, uncovered.
• Bake the pletzels for 20 minutes, switching from top to middle rack after 10 minutes, or do them in 2 shifts on the middle rack. Then stick them under the broiler for 1 minute, keeping a sharp eye on them, to brown the onions. If you don't have a broiler, raise the heat to 550° and put each sheet on the top rack for 2 minutes or so.