A Jerusalem bagel is a type of bread shaped like a long oval sesame covered thin bagel which originated in Jerusalem. It is derived from a much smaller round cracker with a hole in the middle and covered with sesame seeds called Ka'ak which is available throughout the middle East! In Israel, these bagels are mostly sold by street vendors.
Years ago I remember these bagels being sold hot on the streets of Jerusalem with a little packet of a spice mix called Zaatar with some olive oil to dip them in. Today you can get Jerusalem bagels all over Israel. There is nothing like them, fresh, soft with that delicious baked smell when you're walking by and then you stop for one on the street! It's an experience in itself!
Most food bloggers dedicate an entire recipe to just Jerusalem Bagels. I have found that you can make a delicious assortment of bagels from the same dough. No need to change the recipe.
So I am going to show you how to make them and how to use the same recipe to make a variety of bagels.
These bagels are crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. They are so good with anything spread inside them or dipped into hummus.
I get 14 medium sized bagels out of this amount of dough. You can make any size bagels you like or divide the amount of dough in half for less bagels. They freeze beautifully.
I generally find that measuring in grams rather than converting to cups and spoonfuls is more accurate for bread recipes.
My granddaughter made most of these by herself, follow her detailed photo instructions and you can do the same!
Here's all you need!
Dough for all bagels:
1 kg bread flour or (plain) all purpose flour (about 8 cups)
40 grams sugar (about 2 ½ -3 tablespoons)
20 grams salt (about 1-1 ½ tablespoons)
15 grams dry yeast or instant dry yeast (about 1 ¼ tablespoons)
¼ cup olive oil or oil of your choice
650 ml tap water (2 3/4 cups)
For Jerusalem bagels:
Sesame seeds in a container (Amount depends on how many Jerusalem bagels you plan to make out of the dough)
1 cup tap water in a container.
For plain twisted bagels:
I egg beaten with a tablespoon of water (egg wash), you will add this just before putting the bagels in the oven
For everything bagel:
Everything but the bagel seasoning (see link at the bottom of page)
Container of water
Let’s start baking!
Sieve flour into mixer bowl. Add all dry ingredients in mixer bowl with dough hook and mix on low setting for a few minutes until all ingredients are blended together.
Add water gradually while mixing. Add oil. Mix on low - medium for about 8 minutes or until your dough separates from sides of the mixer bowl and is just a little sticky.
While this is mixing spray a bowl with oil.
Take out your dough from the mixer bowl and form a loose ball with your hands. Lay it in your oiled bowl, spray oil on top of dough and cover with Saran Wrap. Let dough rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
When dough has risen nicely, flour work area slightly and form dough into one long log like shape. Cut in half along the length. From each long piece cut 7 equal sizes. They don’t have to be perfectly even in size. Set aside.
From pieces you just cut take one at a time and roll into a flat oval shape. Roll oval shape in to a long strip with your fingers and continue rolling strip until it is fairly long. See photo below.
For Jerusalem bagels - roll long and slim almost shaped like a snake.
Make the ends pointed and join them together overlapping and pinching dough, then roll with the inside of your hand lightly to round the join. Stretch slightly to an oval long shape.
Take long oval bagel and dip in water first then in sesame seeds covering the bagel. Lay in a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Continue to do this with all your Jerusalem bagels.
For twisted bagels:
Roll same way as Jerusalem Bagels but before joining, take one longer roll part and lay over shorter part crossing it. Take longer part and thread from underneath and up along the side of shorter part 3 times then join by pinching two ends together. See photo.
Roll with your fingers to join ends so they remain round
Lay each twisted bagel in same baking pan as other bagels.
For everything bagel:
Make a twisted bagel or plain round bagel by rolling and joining ends. Dip in water and sprinkle everything but the bagel mix on bagels placed in pan.
Lay all your bagels with enough space in between as they will expand. Cover with towel or Saran Wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
Turn oven on to 220 deg c (425 deg F)
When bagels have expanded after 30 minutes, brush the plain ones with egg wash and place the baking pan in the oven for 25 minutes or until they turn Golden. Take out and let cool.
These bagels freeze beautifully. I wrap each one in Sara wrap then put it in a ziplock bag. Take out when you feel like one and put in the microwave oven for 20 second or so.
Enjoy these great tasting bagels dipped in Shakshuka and Moroccan Fish sauce to clean your plate with. See link below for the recipes for these dishes.
