BIALYS
Round bread with onion
Introduction
The name Bialys entered English as a shorterning of the Yiddish Bialystoker kuchen, meaning Białystok cake. It’s a flat, round bread with onion, originating from Białystok in eastern Poland. In the periods of pre-war and post-war emigration, they gained in popularity in the USA, where they were sold in bakeries by Jewish immigrants from Białystok.. Traditionally, they were baked in dry-wood ovens, which gave the crust a characteristic, natural aroma, which turned brown and crispy.
They gained in popularity again thanks to Mimi Sheraton and her book entitled Bialy eaters: The history of a bread and alost world). In this book, the author evokes conversations with Jewish inhabitants of Białystok, the Holocaust survivors, who recall characteristic onion rolls eaten with butter, cheese, herring and even halva.
They gained in popularity again thanks to Mimi Sheraton and her book entitled Bialy eaters: The history of a bread and alost world). In this book, the author evokes conversations with Jewish inhabitants of Białystok, the Holocaust survivors, who recall characteristic onion rolls eaten with butter, cheese, herring and even halva.
Alessia Di Donato, a confectionery master, whose passion involves bringing back to life traditional Jewish recipes. The recipe comes from the culinary course Compendium of Jewish Bread, carried out in 2021 by the POLIN Museum.
Preparation method
Step 1
16 hours before kneading, prepare a poolish: sift the flour into a bowl, add the yeast, water and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with film and set aside at 20-22°C for 16 hours. The poolish will be ready when bubbles appear on the surface and the level is slightly lower.
Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the onion: cut it into cut into small pieces sprinkle with breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Put it in a container, cover and refrigerate until moulding the bialys.
Step 3
On the baking day, sift the flour for the finished dough into a large bowl, pour the water, add the poolish and yeast, stir, add salt at the end.
Step 4
Move the dough on the countertop and knead for approx. 20 minutes, mould a ball in the end. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a cloth and let it rise for 2 hours.
Step 5
After that, hit the dough vigorously in the bowl to let the air out of it. Move it to the countertop and divide into 12 pieces of approx. 80 g. Mould a ball of each of them.
Step 6
Sprinkle the countertop with flour, place the balls on it, cover with a cloth, and leave it for approx. 30 minutes to rise again.
Step 7
Preheat oven to 240°C.
Step 8
Sprinkle the countertop with flour again and mould each ball into the shape of a Neapolitan pizza, making a hollow in the centre and leaving more dough on the edges.
Step 9
Line the baking tray with baking paper and place the moulded rolls, leaving a distance of approx. 2-3 cm between them.
Step 10
Place the onion mixed with the breadcrumbs in the hollows of each dough.
Step 11
Put in a preheated oven and bake for approx. 10 minutes.
Bon appetit!
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