Homemade Bagel Bites? Not even childhood nostalgia is safe.
INGREDIENT
Bagel:
Dough:
2 cups (300g) bread flour
180g water, at 90 degrees fahrenheit
3 teaspoon (10g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (9g) granulated sugar
1.5 teaspoons (8g) fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (14g) vegetable oil
For Boiling:
3.5 quarts (3.5 L)water *see notes*
1.5 tablespoons (33g) barley malt syrup
1 teaspoon (6g) fine sea salt
6g food grade lye *see notes*
Everything Bagel Seasoning:
2 tablespoons (17g) sesame seeds
1 tablespoons (9g)poppy seeds
2 tablespoons (15g)minced dried onion
2 teaspoons (7g) minced dried garlic
1 tablespoon (11g) flaky salt
Sauce:
3 ½ tablespoons (39g) extra virgin olive oil
3 strips bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28oz (794g) can, crushed tomatoes
¼ cup (62g) tomato paste
1 tablespoon (3g) fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 teaspoon (.5 g) fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 teaspoons (11g) fine sea salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) sugar
1 teaspoon (1.5g) black pepper
½ teaspoon (2g) red pepper flakes
Assembly:
2 cups (220g) shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup (20g) pecorino cheese, finely grated
1 cup (112g) pepperoni, finely diced
3 tablespoons (34g) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 cloves garlic, cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
New York Bagel:
To the bowl of a stand mixer combine bread flour, sugar, sea salt, and diastatic malt powder. Whisk together until combined. In a separate container add your lukewarm water and whisk in yeast until dissolved, then whisk in vegetable oil. Turn your stand mixer on medium low with the dough hook attached and add your liquid to your dry ingredients. Mix for 8-10 minutes until the dough is completely smooth.
Rest your dough with plastic wrap for 15 minutes, then divide into 20 pieces weighing about 25g each. Shape each piece of dough into a ball by rolling on the countertop in a circular motion, using slight pressure and constant contact with the work surface. Let the balls rest covered with greased plastic wrap for 12 minutes.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Then shape your bagels by pinching a hole in the center of each ball with your index finger and thumb, then gently form into a tiny bagel . An easy way to do this is to put both your index fingers through the hole and spin your fingers around each other to sort of create a winding motion. Once stretched, place on your baking sheet. Repeat with all of your dough balls.
Now spray the tops of your bagels lightly with cooking spray, cover your tray very well with greased plastic wrap. Make it as airtight as you can without squishing the bagels. Leave in a warm dark place for 1 ½ hours In the meantime you can make your everything bagel seasoning by combining sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced dried onion, minced dried garlic, and flaky salt, and whisking until evenly incorporated.
Preheat your oven to 450 Fahrenheit. In a wide shallow heavy bottomed pot add your water, barley malt syrup, fine sea salt, and lye for boiling. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Wearing food safe gloves, add your bagels to the water in batches to avoid overcrowding, and boil for 30 seconds, then flip, and boil for 30 more seconds. Using a slotted spoon gently drain your bagels on a baking sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray and lightly coated with cornmeal. If you’re topping your bagels with anything, such as your everything bagel seasoning, you’ll do so immediately so it sticks to the currently tacky surface of the bagel. Repeat with all of your bagels.
Transfer your bagels to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a rich brown. Cool your bagels completely on a wire rack, and slice in half.
Sauce:
To make the homemade tomato sauce, heat bacon and olive oil in a cold large saucepan over medium heat.
When bacon fat is rendered, take the bacon out and reserve the fat.
Add the garlic, black pepper, red pepper, and cook until fragrant.
Add tomato paste, crushed tomato, salt, sugar, oregano, and thyme. Stir to combine.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until it has thickened.
Assembly:
Brush each bagel half with the olive oil, and place in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub the cut side on the toasted bagel.
Spoon a tablespoon of tomato sauce onto each bagel half.
Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni over the tomato sauce.
Bake the Bagel bites for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.
Notes:
Please be aware that it is completely safe to use lye to bake with, we’ve done so previously with pretzels. In short, lye is something that’s been traditionally used in baking for generations, we are using it in very small quantities, and the baking process renders any concernening traits into something that’s completely safe to eat. Please just handle it with care and avoid getting it on your skin when using it.
