Seeded bagels

MAKES 12 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS PROVING)

The thing that sets bagels apart from other breads is that they are boiled before baking. The purpose of boiling is to set the crust, which prevents the bread from rising too much. This creates a more dense interior, resulting in a chewy texture.

3 tsp dried yeast 250 ml (1 cup) warm milk 2 tbsp caster sugar 450 gm (3 cups) plain flour 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp poppy seeds 2 tsp caraway seeds 2 tsp sesame seeds 2 tsp linseeds 2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 Combine yeast, milk, 1 tbsp sugar and ½ cup water in a large bowl and mix until yeast is dissolved.

2 Stir in sifted flour, 3 tsp salt and remaining sugar, in two batches, until mixture forms a firm dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic (5-7 minutes). Place dough in a large oiled bowl, cover and set aside in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (1 hour). 3 Grease and lightly flour an oven tray. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide dough into 12 portions; form each portion into a ball. Press your thumb into the centre of each ball to make a hole, spinning the ball around your thumb until the hole is one-third the size of the bagel. Place bagels 3cm apart on tray. Cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (15 minutes). 4 Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line two oven trays with baking paper. Working in batches of four, drop bagels one by one into a large saucepan of boiling water, ensuring they don’t touch.

Boil for 1 minute; turn bagels over and boil for another minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bagels to lined trays.

5 Brush tops of bagels with combined egg yolk and 1 tsp water; sprinkle with combined seeds and salt flakes. Bake until golden (20 minutes), then cool on a wire rack.

The beauty of pide is that you can fill it with almost anything you like – or simply serve on its own.