Parisian Pletzel Recipes

PLETZEL

Steps:

• Place towel or shelf liner beneath stand mixer to prevent wobbling and fit mixer with dough hook. Add flour, room-temperature water and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt to bowl and mix on low speed until no patches of dry flour remain, about 4 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Turn off mixer and let dough rest for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Increase mixer speed to high and knead until dough is glossy, smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 8 to 10 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.).
• Using your fingers, coat large bowl and rubber spatula with 1 tablespoon oil. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl and pour 1 tablespoon oil over top. Flip dough over once so it is well coated with oil; cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in volume and large bubbles have formed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in poppy seeds. Transfer to bowl; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
• Coat bottom and sides of 12 x 16 inch rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Using oiled rubber spatula, turn dough out onto prepared sheet along with any oil remaining in bowl.
• Using your oiled fingertips, press dough out toward edges of sheet, taking care not to tear it. (Dough will not fit snugly into corners. If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch again.) Let dough rise, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Dough will increase but not quite double in volume.).
• Using your oiled fingertips, press dough out toward edges of sheet once more. Using dinner fork, poke surface of dough 30 to 40 times. Brush top of dough with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Distribute onion-poppy seed mixture evenly over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge.
• Bake until golden brown, 18 to 23 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Using metal spatula, transfer pletzel to cutting board. Slice with a serrated knife and serve.

PLETZEL - JEWISH ONION BOARD

Steps:

• Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and yeast. Add the salt, olive oil, and warm water and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until all the flour is incorporated. Rub a teaspoon or less of olive oil over the dough, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set in the refrigerator overnight. It will get bubbly and double in size.
• Make the topping: In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil and onion over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until translucent and just starting to brown. When nearly done, stir in the salt.
• Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Stretch the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment, and brush with about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Gently scrape the dough onto the baking sheet. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Using your fingers in a dimple motion, stretch the dough into a 13-by-10 inch rectangle. If the dough shrinks back, cover loosely and let it rest for 230 to 30 minutes. Stretch again.
• Add the toppings: Spread the sautéed onion all over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds and a touch of salt (if using).
• Bake: Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan half-way. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool slightly and cut into squares to eat warm.

PARISIAN PLETZEL

Steps:

• 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 375° and grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll or flatten them into rounds about 5 inches 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-inch 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 550° and put each sheet on the top rack for 2 minutes or so.

ONION BOARD (PLETZEL) RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• 1. Make a paste with 1/2 cup warm water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. 2. Place yeast mixture into 4 cup of flour in a large bowl and mix together. 3. In a separate bowl mix sugar, oil, additional 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of flour, and 3/4s of the beaten eggs (reserving 1/4 of them for glazing the top of the pletzel). 4. Add the sugar/oil/flour/egg mixture to the flour/yeast mixture and mix together with hands (great tools!). 5. Place on floured surface and knead slightly until dough comes together. 6. Place in clean oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour. 7. Punch down and knead again, place back in bowl and allow to rise for 15 minutes. 8. Grease two sheet pans (cookie sheets with raised sides or jelly roll pans). 9. Cut dough in half and pat each 1/2 into a sheet pan with the dough slightly raised around the sides. 10. Brush each with remaining egg, sprinkle each with half of the sauteed onions with the olive oil remaining (patting into the dough), and sprinkle each with half of the poppy seeds. 11. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. 12. Can be served immediately as is or with butter and salt.

HOMEMADE PRETZELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add flour and salt; stir to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 4-5 times. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes. , Punch dough down and divide into 20 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 15-in. long strip; twist into a pretzel shape. Combine baking soda and cold water; brush over pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt. , Place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 450° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

PARISIAN PLETZL

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup lukewarm water into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast and the sugar until dissolved. Add 4 cups flour, the eggs, 1/4 cup of the oil, and the salt. Mix well, and knead for about 10 minutes, or until smooth, adding more flour if necessary. Or use a food processor or a standing mixer with a dough hook. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, and let rise, covered, for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and grease two cookie sheets.
• Divide the dough into twelve balls, and roll or flatten them out into rounds about 6 inches in diameter. Put the rounds on the cookie sheets, and make thumbprints in the centers. Brush the dough with cold water, and sprinkle about 1/4 cup of onion in each indentation. Brush the rounds with the remaining vegetable oil, and sprinkle the poppy seeds on top. Let sit for 15 minutes, uncovered.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Then, if you like, slip the pletzlach under the broiler for a minute, to brown the onions. Serve lukewarm, as is or in a big pletzl sandwich.

TRADITIONAL PARISIAN OMELET

Steps:

• Place a saute pan over medium heat.
• Using a fork, mix your eggs together with salt and pepper in a bowl and then add the herbs. Make sure your eggs are well mixed, with no long strands of egg white hanging off of the fork.
• When the pan is hot, add the butter and swirl it around until it's melted and has evenly coated the pan. Add all of your egg mixture and using a fork, continue to scramble the eggs in the pan, breaking up any large lumps that want to form as the eggs set. This will take about 30 seconds. Next, shake out the pan slightly so the eggs settle into an even layer with small curds. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for another 30 seconds until just set. Begin to loosen the sides and roll the omelet on to itself then flip out on to a plate. Serve immediately and enjoy!

GRANDMA EVA'S ONION BOARD (PLETZEL)

Steps:

• Make a paste with 1/2 cup warm water and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Place yeast mixture into 4 cup of flour combine with the salt in a large bowl and mix together.
• In a separate bowl mix sugar, oil, additional 1 cup of warm water, 1 cup of flour, and 3/4s of the beaten eggs (reserving 1/4 of them for glazing the top of the pletzel).
• Add the sugar/oil/flour/egg mixture to the flour/yeast mixture and mix together with hands (great tools!).
• Place on floured surface and knead slightly until dough comes together.
• Place in clean oiled bowl, covered with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour.
• Punch down and knead again, place back in bowl and allow to rise for 15 minutes.
• Grease two sheet pans (cookie sheets with raised sides or jelly roll pans).
• Cut dough in half and pat each 1/2 into a sheet pan with the dough slightly raised around the sides.
• Brush each with remaining egg, sprinkle each with half of the sauteed onions with the olive oil remaining (patting into the dough), and sprinkle each with half of the poppy seeds.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
• Can be served immediately as is or with butter and salt.