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Homemade Bagels

Actually I really love bagles and when I was in New York I got kind of spoiled because they are always fresh. Then I came back here to Chicago because I live here. I was in New York for a visit only. I then stumbled on Gittles Kosher Bakery which was a really nice Jewish bakery here in Chicago and they had the best bagles here in the city. Then wham before I knew it they went out of buisness because the old people who had it retired and so no one wanted to continue to keep the place running. It was on Devon Ave and Kedzie here in Chicago.

I was upset and even going to Panera Bread was not sufficiant for me even though their bagles were ok but not as good as being in New York or Gittles. Then a dear friend who I have known since I was a teenager who was a lovely Jewish man and he used to be my social worker when I was in the last two group homes I was in and we kept in contact. He knew all of the great spots in the city where I can get great food. I asked him where can I go to buy great bagles and told him of my delima and he said New York’s Bagels and Bialies on Touhy and Central which is in the suburbs and sure enough the food was good and I had one of their knisches too. But they are expensive so I decided to make my own bagels.

First I made the dough by using 1 cup of all purpose unbleached flour and to this I would add either 1 cup of either rye or whole wheat flour. If making rye bagles I would add 1 pinch of caraway seeds in the flour or decide not to put it in there which is totally up to me or if using whole wheat I would add 1 handful of grated cheese of any type, 1 chopped green chili, pureed fruit like strawberry, banana, apple or blueberry again depending on my mood. Also if you are using purèed fruit, I would suggest no more then 4 tbs. I would add 1 handful of powdered milk 3 big pinches of rapid rise yeast if adding from bag or jar or use 1 sachet just in case I can’t find any 3 pinches of baking powder 1 pinch each of turbidano sugar, either pink salt, kosher salt or plain sea salt, 1 pinch of xantan gum. Also if you want to add a little grated nutmeg or grind 1 small broken piece of cinnamon this is ok too.

Also I would add raisins to my whole wheat flour mixture if I felt like I wanted which depends on what type of bagel I want to make. Even minced onion or garlic fried in 2 tsps of butter ghee until brown would be a lovely addition too if I so desire. If I wanted it then I would add 3 tbs of onion or 1 clove of garlic minced in to the wheat flour mixture. Add 1/4 cup of water a little at a time and knead until you have a firm dough. Coat this dough with 3 tbs of either olive oil, corn oil, butter ghee, peanut oil, hemp oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil, almond oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, grape seed oil or avocado oil. Knead again and and this should be in a large mixing bowl. Cover and put in a warm spot like near your window on a sunny day in your kitchen.

However I am just running down to you what types of bagels can be made. I went in to the last shop I mentioned and they were out of the type of bagel I wanted. So I decided to try to make my own. What you need to do now is take a pot like a coldero and fill it up with water and set it in to a rolling boil on high heat. Check your dough to see if it has risin. Beat 1 fresh chicken egg in a small bowl and this will be your eggwash. Take a cookie sheet and line it either with silpat or parchment paper and take a golfball sized piece of dough and form it in to a log and then bend it where both sides touch and pinch and seal this with your fingers and boom you have an instant hole in the middle.

Set oven temp to 375F or 190C. Spray cookie sheet that either has silpat or even parchment paper on it lightly with cooking spray. Drop the uncooked bagel in to boiling water and when it floats remove it. It is like nearly making gnocci. Place these on a cookie sheet and drop another until there is no more dough left and then empty the pot and place it in the sink. You are done with this part also you can make the bagels in an instant pot in the air fryer basket with the air fryer lid lined with either silpat or parchment paper. Use the eggwash and sprinkle them with either kosher salt because it is coarse or even poppy seeds or sesame seeds. This time It is a sprinkle and then pop them in to the oven for 15 minutes to bake. For instant pot select 376F temp after you select bake and time 15 minutes and start. The bagels should be brown and shiney. You can cut this in half and add either butter or cream cheese. I also enjoy them with lox and a sprig of fresh dill. Great with your morning joe in the morning.

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