Recipe - Asiago Bagels

2 pack Active dry yeast
3 tablespoon Sugar
1 One fourth teaspoon Salt
6 cup Flour; approximately
One fourth pound Asiago Cheese; or parmesan
cheese
1 lg Egg yolk

Combine yeast and 2 cups warm (110@) water in a large bowl; let stand 5
mins. Stir in sugar, salt and 5 One half cups flour til moistened.

Spread One half cup flour on a board and scrape dough onto it. Knead dough til
very smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 mins; add more flour as required to
prevent sticking. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic
wrap and let rise in a warm place til almost doubled, about 40 mins.

When dough is almost risen, bring 3 quarts water to boiling in a covered 4
to 5 qt pan over high heat. Meanwhile knead dough on a lightly floured
board to expel air then divide into 12 equal pieces. To shape bagel, knead
each piece into a smooth ball. Holding the ball with both hand, poke you
thumbs thru the center to form a hole. With 1 thumb in the hole, work
around the bagel to make it smooth and evenly thick.

Set bagels on lightly floured 12 x 15" baking sheets; let stand covered
with plastic wrap just til they are slightly puffy, about 10 mins. With
your hand, gently slip bagels into boiling water, adding 4 at a time to
pan. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle boil and turn bagels often til they
feel firm but are still slightly spongy, 3 to 5 mins. Chill remaining
bagels til ready to use. With a slotted spoon transfer bagels to a towel;
drain briefly, then place bagels slightly apart on 2 lightly oiled 12 x 15"
baking sheets.

In a food processor or with a knife, coarsely chop cheese. Beat egg yolk to
blend with 1 tbsp water and brush mixture over bagels. Then pat cheese onto
bagels, pressing gently to make cheese stick. Bake bagels in a 375@ oven
til browned, 30 to 35 mins. Cool on racks. Serve warm or cool.

Recipe by: Sunset Magazine

Posted to KitMailbox Digest by Cairn Rodrigues cairnann@yahoo.com on Apr
18, 1998