Conference turris::cooks

    Bialys are an Eastern European breadstuff, rumored to come from
    Bialystok in Poland.
    
    A bialy is sort of like a roll made from thick crust pizza dough,
    about 4" in diameter.  In the center is a depression (usually made
    by pressing one's thumb into the dough before baking).  Before
    baking, one puts a combination of chopped onions, poppy seeds, and
    some oil.  Then the thing is baked on a floured board.
    
    /Sam

    If you can't make it to Brooklyn but can make it to Conn there is
    a place called N.Y. Deli in Vernon.  They will sell you bialys.
    A two hour drive beats a four hour drive.  
    
    
    
    Barbara (Born in Brooklyn)

    Bagel...bagels..and Bagels in Framingham sells Bailys-
    All the dough is supposedly imported from New York to make
    it authentic. I've had the bagels and they are pretty good. The
    store is located on Route 9-across from finally Michael's.
    

    Its kinda depressing -- I live in Worcester and haven't found any
    bagel stores yet.  I lived in DE for 7 years and it was only during
    the last one did a bagel store make its way from NY down there.  We
    won't talk about the bagels the sell in supermarkets:  they really
    do bounce!
    
    That's one reason I go home to visit my parents in New York -- fresh
    bagels every morning!

    There are bakeries on Water Street in Worcester that make bagels.
    You can also go across the street and get lox and cream cheese from
    the deli if you're so inclined.
    
    Happy Bagel-hunting,
    Judy

1 1/4 c warm water (105 to 115 oF)
1 package dry yeast
1/4 c unsifted gluten flour
2 3/4 c unsifted white flour
flour for work surfaces
(2 1/2 t salt)
1/2 small onion, or 1 t poppy seeds and 1 clove garlic

(NOTE: I have made this recipe with all unbleached flour.  If you can find
high-gluten flour, use it for all the flour.)

Mix water and yewast.
Stir in gluten flour, white flour, and salt (if used - the taste is not the same
if you omit it like I do).
Knead until smooth and elastic; dough willbe soft and sticky.  If you use a food
processor, knead 5-10 seconds to form a ball, then knead for 1 minute in
processor.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for an hour.
Punch down and let rise for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 10 balls.
Put balls in a heavily floured baking pan and let rise 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 525 oF.  Put pizza brick or baking stone in to preheat when you
light the oven.
To form bialys, stretch the balls into frisbee shapes about 3 1/2 inches across.
The dough in the center should be about 1/16 inch thick.
Put formed bialys on a well-flkoured surface.  They can be baked now or let rise
for 15-30 minutes.
Just before baking, make topping: chop oven very finely (do not grate; it will
be too wet), or finely mince the garlic and mix with the poppy seeds. Put some
filling in the center depression of each bialy.
Rapidly put the bilays on the hot baking stone.
Bake for 7 minutes without opening oven.
Check after 7 minutes.
Complete baking should take about 10 minutes.
Cool for 30 minutes and dust off excessive flour before eating.
To store at room temperature, use paper bags.
To freeze, use plastic bags.

Makes 10 bialys.

    I've had the bialys in .9, and they are good but not as good as
    the reference bialy (which is baked on Grand Street).  But they
    will do in a pinch.
    
    I like the bialys from the place on Rt 9 better than the place on
    rt 20.  They don't look as good but at least they taste like a bialy.
    
    				Paul
    

    As a "What would a Saturday/Sunday morning be without a Bagel/Bialey?"
    person.............
    
    This version was in the L.A. Times yesterday.
    
                              BIALYS
    
    2 C. warm (110 degree) water
    1 pkg. dry yeast
    2 t. sugar
    3 t. salt
    1-1/4 C. gluten flour
    3-1/2 C. all-purpose flour, about
    1 T. oil or lard
    1-1/2 t. poppy seeds, about
    1/3 to 1/2 C. finely minced onion
    
    Combine 1/2 cup warm water, yeast and sugar in large mixing bowl.
    Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
    
    Mix remaining 1-1/2 cups warm water, 2-1/2 t. salt, gluten flour
    and all-purpose flour into yeast mixture.  Knead vigorously on
    floured surface until smooth (dough will be soft).
    
    Form dough into ball and place in greased bowl, turning greased
    side up.  Let rise, covered with plastic wrap, until tripled, about
    1-1/2 hours.  Punch dough down, turn over, cover and let rise again
    until doubled.
    
    Punch dough down and roll into 2 cylinders.  Cut each into 8 rounds.
    Place flat, cover with towel and let rest.  Meanwhile, combine oil,
    poppy seeds, onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Set aside.
    
    Pat dough into flattened rounds slightly higher in middle than at
    edge, about 3-1/2 inches in diameter.  Place on lightly floured
    board, cover with dry towel and then damp towel, and let rise until
    increased by about half, about 30 minutes.  Do not let over-rise.
    
    Press bottom of small jar or shot glass about 1 inch in diameter
    into center of each bialy to make deep indentation.  Spread
    reserved topping over bialys.  Let rise 15 minutes more, but do
    not allow to double.
    
    Carefully transfer ialys to 2 (14 x 7-inch) ungreased baking
    sheets.  Bake at 425 degrees on upper and lower oven racks 6 to
    7
    minutes, then switch rack positions and reverse pans front to
    back.  Bake bialys until evenly and lightly browned, about 5 to
    6 minutes more.
    
    Cool on racks.  Store bialys in plastic bags in refrigerator
    1 to 2 days or freeze seveal months.
    
    Makes 16 bialys.