Jewish Onion Bread Recipes

JEWISH ONION BREAD

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Stir together water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
• Stir together 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl, then add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil and stir until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding enough of remaining cup flour, a little at a time, as needed to prevent stickiness, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Form dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Cook onions while dough rises:
• Cook onions in remaining tablespoon oil with remaining teaspoon salt in an 8- to 9-inch nonstick skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Cover surface of onions with a round of parchment or wax paper (or cover skillet with a tight-fitting lid) and cook onions, lifting parchment to stir frequently, until very soft and pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Shape and bake bread:
• Transfer dough to a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan and stretch dough, first by pulling with your hands, then by pressing your fingertips into dough and working outward from center, until dough fills pan. Prick dough all over at 1-inch intervals with a fork, leaving a 1-inch border all around sides, and cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap (oiled side down). Let dough rise slightly in draft-free place at warm room temperature, 30 minutes.
• While dough rises, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Gently brush dough with some egg wash, being careful not to deflate dough. Scatter onions evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border, then sprinkle with nigella seeds.
• Bake until top is golden and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Lift bread from pan and transfer to a rack to cool slightly.
• Cut into roughly 3-inch squares before serving.
• *Available at specialty foods shops and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451).

REAL NY JEWISH RYE BREAD

Steps:

• Place bread flour, rye flour, potato flakes, caraway seeds, demarara sugar, yeast, and sea salt in the bowl of a large stand mixer. Turn mixer to low and thoroughly mix dry ingredients. Beat warm water, canola oil, and pickle juice into dry ingredients. Fit dough hook onto mixer and beat until dough is rough and shaggy-looking.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for exactly 30 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and knead dough in stand mixer with dough hook until smooth, firm, and only slightly sticky, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Form dough into a ball, place dough into an oiled bowl, and turn dough around several times in bowl to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set into a warm place, and let rise until nearly double, about 1 hour.
• Grease a 5x9-inch loaf pan. Turn dough onto a lightly oiled surface, shape into a log, and place into prepared loaf pan. Cover with a cloth kitchen towel and let rise until top of dough has risen slightly over top of pan, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Place rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake loaf until golden brown and cooked through, about 35 minutes. The internal temperature of the bread should be 190 degrees F (90 degrees C). If loaf browns too quickly, cover loosely with a tent of aluminum foil with shiny side out. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

RYE ONION BREAD

Steps:

• Grease a 9x5-in. loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal; set aside., In a large bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, rye flour, onion, sugar, caraway, salt and yeast. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Stir in enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a firm dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Shape into a loaf. Place in prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Combine egg white and water; brush over loaf. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

ONION BREAD

Steps:

• Pour scalded milk over 2 Tbsp.
• of the butter, the sugar, and the salt.
• Stir until butter is dissolved.
• Sauté the onions in the rest of the butter until golden, about 10 minutes over med-low heat.
• Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
• Add to the cooled milk mixture.
• Add the herbs to 2 cups of the flour and mix well.
• Add herb and flour mixture to the milk/yeast mixture and mix well.
• Add the onions and the remaining flour and mix thoroughly.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until elastic.
• Place in a buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.
• Punch down and let rise again for 30 minutes.
• Shape into loaves and place in two buttered loaf pans.
• Let rise again until doubled and bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees until browned and done, about 30 to 35 minutes more.
• Turn out of pans and cool on rack.
• Brush crust with butter while hot for a soft crust.
• NOTE: Also makes excellent rolls and breadsticks.