I've made bialys from four different recipes in cookbooks; all looked,
tasted, smelled wrong and had the wrong texture. Only one cookbook
author (Joan Nathan) had the onion filling right (bread crumbs are
mixed in with the onions). (The ones sold in bagel shops are almost
universally wrong; they're not just bagels with failed holes and
an onion filling.)
OK. What's the secret? It appears to be a lost art. I've heard
special high gluten flour. All the above were straight doughs.
I suspect that the real, genuine item may be made with a sourdough
or with a poolish (starter). Anyone know and willing to tell?
Mark Judman (Mark_Judman@colpal.com)