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Parisian Pletzel Bread

Reggie Dwork <reggie@jeff-and-reggie.com>
Wed, 14 Aug 2019 19:14:44 -0700
v119.n034.1
* Exported from MasterCook *

                          Bread, Parisian Pletzel

Recipe By     :Joan Nathan
Serving Size  : 8     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Bread                           Bread-Bakers Mailing List
                 Ethnic                          Hand Made
                 Posted                          Stand Mixer

   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1                cup  lukewarm water
   1         tablespoon  active dry yeast -- (1 pkg) scant
   4               cups  unbleached all-purpose flour -- (to 5C)
   2              large  eggs
      1/4           cup  vegetable oil -- plus
   2        tablespoons  vegetable oil
   1         tablespoon  sugar -- scant
   2          teaspoons  salt
      1/2           cup  cold water
   1             medium  onion -- diced (about 3/4C)
   2        tablespoons  poppy seeds
                         coarse salt

This Parisian version of a Bialystoker tsibele (onion) pletzel, also 
called onion zemmel, onion pampalik, or onion board, is very similar 
to an Italian focaccia. Try this flat bread sprinkled with rosemary, 
and you will see how very close it is.

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 375F and grease 2 cookie sheets.

Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll or flatten them into rounds 
about 5" 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" 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 550F and put each sheet on the top rack for 2 minutes or so.

Cal 395, Fat 13g, Carb 58g, Sod 367mg, Fiber 3g, Pro 10g

Review: These were fantastic - a fast, easy, and forgiving dough, and 
a tasty balance of chewy and tender. I forgot the second batch in the 
oven and left them in there ten minutes too long, and they were still 
amazing - a bit crisper, of course, almost like a large cracker, 
which went perfectly with a pre-dinner glass of wine. The softer ones 
were also yummy, and could be split to make a nice sandwich. Will be 
making these again and often, plus experimenting with other toppings.

Review: There is nothing Parisian about this recipe that awakened 
childhood taste memories of my paternal grandmother's 'tsibele 
kuchen' - onion rolls that looked and tasted exactly these - which 
she baked every weekend. My only adjustment was to lightly saute the 
onions in the 2 tbsp oil. Other than that, followed the recipe 
exactly, and enjoyed an onion roll I hadn't had since 1964. These 
would make excellent sandwich or burger buns, but for that I'd fold 
the dough over the onions to keep them from falling off, and then 
maybe sprinkle the poppy seeds on top.

Review: This isn't really like focaccia because of the eggs in the 
dough (or, at least, I've never made focccia with eggs in the dough). 
But, it is delicious. I ended up using it s buns for some grilled 
portabellas and it withstood the juiciness of the mushroom.

Source:
   "The Jewish Holiday Baker, by Joan Nathan"
S(Internet address):
   https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/parisian-pletzel-14604
                                     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 364 Calories; 13g Fat (32.7% 
calories from fat); 9g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 
53mg Cholesterol; 555mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean 
Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 2019 - 0809