Bagels 101

This is my version of Jo Goldenberg’s recipe found in Bernard Clayton’s, New Complete Book of Breads and though only minor changes were made, they seem to make all the difference to me.

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Ingredients
3 to 4 cups of flour (I use half all-purpose and half bread flour as the bread flour in America has to much gluten for a light texture
Almost a full tablespoon of yeast
2 ½ Tablespoons sugar (this is actually less sugar than the original recipe)
1 Tablespoon salt (I use half Kosher and half table salt)
1 ½ cups warm water
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In addition you will need a large pot (about 3 quarts) filled with water to which you add
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar (either regular or malt if you have it)
Bring this to simmer when you turn the oven on to pre-heat
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1 egg white mixed in a small bowl with about a Tablespoon of cold water
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A baking sheet sprinkled liberally with cornmeal (or combination of meals like matzo, cornmeal and grits)

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Mix warm water, yeast, sugar, salt and about 2 ½ cups of the flour and beat a couple of minutes.
Let rest a couple of minute and add enough flour to make manageable this should look like a shaggy mass of dough.
Turn out onto a bread board of other lightly floured surface and knead a few minute or until it becomes smooth and not sticky.
Cover and wait about five minutes then continue to knead until the dough is soft and springy.

Cover and let set in a warm place for about an hour or till doubled.
Cut into 6 pieces and with lightly floured hands work each piece into a small ball.
Let rest a couple of minutes then poke a hole into the center of each ball, these don’t have to look perfect, just get them into a bagel like shape.
Cover with damp towel.
Preheat oven to 400 and put the water pot on to simmer.
When oven is heated and water is simmering (not a boil) put a couple of bagels gently into the water about a half minute on each side (I use slotted spoons to turn and lift them out of water) do not crowd as they will swell slightly.
Then transfer to baking sheet and brush with egg wash. At this point put on your favorite topping(s) and bake about 25- 30 minutes till golden brown.

Place on racks to cool.
(You can add the egg yolk to the dough during the initial mixing for egg bagels.)
Makes a half dozen large bagels.