Bialys (Chewy rolls topped with Caramelized onions) - We Knead to bake
This month the members of the group ‘We Knead to bake’ are baking the savory roll, Bialy as our bread for the month of May. Being a part of this group has enabled me to learn several new bread making techniques and I am proud to say that finally I don’t get anxious about baking bread. The bialy (pronounced bee-AH-lee) could be thought of as a cousin to a Bagel but is quite different from it. For one thing, a Bialy is baked whereas a Bagel is boiled and then baked. A Bialy is round roll with a depressed center, not a hole, and typically filled with cooked onions and sometimes poppy seeds. A good Bialy has a springy soft crumb and a chewy and floury crust. Bialys are best when eaten within 5 to 6 hours of making them, but they could be stored for a day or two wrapped tightly in a air tight bag or a container(if they last that long). The name Bialy comes from Bialystocker Kuchen which translates as “bread from Bialystok” which is in Poland. In the early 1900s, many Eastern Europeans, including the Polish, immigrated to the US and settled down in New York. Naturally, they also brought their Bialy making skills with them and that is how the New York Bialy became famous. What lends Bialys their signature chewiness is the use of flour that is high in gluten. So to make Bialys, use bread flour if you can find it. Otherwise use all-purpose flour and add 1 tbsp vital wheat gluten (for the 3 cups). There is not harm done if baked with all purpose flour. The Bialys would just be slightly softer than what it needs to be. In that case to make it slightly chewier, you could refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise. Then the next day leave it out in room temperature for about ½ an hour and then proceed with the recipe. Bialys usually have a thin layer of caramelized onions and poppy seeds in them. I went with Aparna’s suggestion and made them with caramelized onions and Indian spices. I did not add the poppy seeds. You could also add the Indian Paneer cheese (Aparna’s suggestion) along with the caramelized onions. I did not add any paneer because of my Son’s dislike of it. The recipe for the Bialys was adapted from King Arthur flour - https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/bialys-recipe
Preparation time – 15 mins plus 3 hrs of inactive rise time Cooking time – 15 mins per batch of Bialys plus 15 mins to make the topping Difficulty level – easy
Ingredients – (Makes 8 Bialys)
Bread flour – 3 cups plus more to dust the dough Instant yeast – 1 tsp Salt – 1 tsp Sugar – 1 tbsp Warm Water – 1 ¼ cup Milk (for brushing the top of the dough) – Optional (I did not use milk)
To make the filling –
Onion (large) – 3 (chopped finely) Oil – 1 tbsp Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Garam masala – 1 tsp Salt – to taste
Procedure to make Bialys –
To make the dough – Mix together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of the mixer. Now slowly add the water and run the mixer (with the dough hook attached) in medium spend to bring the dough together. Let the dough rest for about 10 mins at this stage. Resting the dough allows it to absorb more water.
Now again run the mixer and knead the dough well (for about 8- 10 mins) adding more water or flour (if needed). Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, but not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball and keep it in a well oiled bowl to rise. Let it rise for about 2 hrs or until doubled in size. For me it took only an hour to rise to double its volume (with about 60 F temperatures). So keep an eye when the dough is rising. If you are not making Bialy’s right away, you could refrigerate the dough after the first rise.
After the first rise
Make the filling – In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin seeds. Let the seeds sputter and then add the chopped onions. Add the required amount of salt and let the onions cook in medium flame.
Keep stirring the onions until it become golden brown color. At this stage add the garam masala and cook it for 2 more mins.
Keep it aside and let it cool to room temperature.
To make the bialys – Sprinkle the work surface with flour and then drop the risen dough. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
Shape each part into a tight ball by shaping it a bit by your hands and then rolling it on the work surface keeping the dough within your fingers. Please refer to the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB908K3Kd6k) Place the rolls on a lightly greased tray and let it rise for about an hour more or till it leaves a depression when pressed with the fingers. Cover the tray with a cloth when rising.
After 1 hour
Work on one piece at a time, while you keep the others covered so they don’t dry out. When the rolls are ready, pick them up one at a time and using your fingers, form the depression in the middle. Hold the roll like a steering wheel with your thumbs in the middle and your fingers around the edges. Pinch the dough between your thumb and fingers, rotating as you go and gradually making the depression wider without actually poking a hole through. This step reminded me of making the outer covering of the Kozhukattai's :)
Once shaped the bialy should be about 4 inch wide, with the depression being about 3 inches wide and a 1 inch border. Prick the center of the bialy with a fork so that it does not puff up while baking.
Place the shaped Bialys on a parchment lined (or lightly greased) tray. Place the caramelized onion filling in each of the depression. If using milk, brush the outer ring of the bialy with the milk.
Bake the bialys at a preheated 450 F oven for about 15 mins, until they are golden brown.
Cool on a cooling rack and then serve warm.
Notes and observations –
If using paneer, add it during the last 5 mins of baking to avoid burning of the cheese. The rising time varies, so keep an eye to avoid over rising of the dough. Also in general I noticed that this dough rises faster than any other bread that I have baked before.
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