Sourdough Bialy Recipe

4.85 from 13 reviews

If you've ever had a true Bialy, you know it's not just a bagel without the hole in the middle. Bialys are not boiled, so the crust is crisper than the crust of a bagel. Best of all, a Sourdough Bialys gets a boost of flavor and a special texture from the sourdough starter

Prep Time30

Bake Time10

Rising Time12

Total Time12 40

Servings:10 servings

Ingredients

Dough

8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup, 100% hydration)
10 oz warm water (1 ¼ cups)
17 ½ oz bread flour (3 ½ cups, see note)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons table salt

Filling

1 oz unsalted butter
½ cup minced onion
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Dough

Combine 8 oz active sourdough starter with 10 oz warm water and 2 cups of the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Mix to form a thick batter. Cover the bowl and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
Add 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons table salt. Switch to the dough hook. Add the remaining flour and mix to combine. The dough should eventually cling to the hook and start to clear the sides of the bowl. If the dough is still a little sticky sprinkle in a little more flour, just a tablespoon at a time.
Knead 5 minutes on medium speed. If working by hand, stir in as much of the flour as you can, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining flour. Knead 5 minutes. Form the dough into a smooth ball.
Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temperature.
After 60 minutes uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough and fold it into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. You're basically turning the dough inside-out to redistribute the yeast. Cover the bowl after 60 minutes repeat the procedure again. Cover the bowl and after 60 minutes the dough should be ready to shape. Total fermentation time is about 3 hours. By now the dough should be lively, elastic and airy. If the dough is still sluggish give it another hour or two at room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the filling.

For the filling

Melt1 oz unsalted butter in a sauté pan. Add ½ cup minced onion and ½ teaspoon salt and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned.
Remove from the heat and add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shape the Bialys

Generously flour a parchment-lined baking sheet. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface without kneading. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion to a ball.
Pick up a piece of dough. Pinch the dough and gently pull to form a 4" disc. Set each bialy onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2" between for room to rise. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator. Generously sprinkle two baking sheets with corn meal. (see note)
Working carefully not to deflate the dough, pick up a bialy and gently re-stretch to about 4" around. Use your fingers to form a depression in the middle of each bialy. Set each bialy onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2" between them. Place 5 bialys onto each pan,
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for about 1 hour. The bialys will not double in size, but they should be noticeably lighter and increase about 50%. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 °F.
Spoon a teaspoon of filling into the middle of each bialy and gently push to reform the dimple in the middle. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
Serve slightly warm or room temperature.

Video

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

If you only have 1 baking sheet you can put all the bialys onto the same pan. They edges may bake together a little, but they should be ok. They tend to rise more up than out.

Nutrition