Bagels with lox

Lox is salmon that has been cured in a brining solution. Smoked salmon is a good substitute, although it is not as salty. This sandwich is best with homemade bagels, but you can substituted with store bought if running short on time.

• makes

  10

• prep

  2:35 hours

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 7 g sachet dried yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp barley malt syrup (see Note) 
• 635 g (4¼ cups) '00' pasta flour (see Note) 
• oil, to grease
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp caraway, poppy or sesame seeds
• lemon-herb schmear, lox (see Note), capers and sliced red onion, to serve

Resting time 2 hours

Instructions

Place yeast and 375 ml (1½ cups) warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Set aside for 10 minutes or until mixture bubbles.

With mixer on low speed, add sugar, 2 tsp salt, syrup and flour, and mix for 1 minute. Increase speed slightly and mix for 5 minutes or until flour is incorporated and dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover and rest in a warm, draught-free place for 1½ hours or until dough doubles.

Divide dough into 10 and roll into balls. Flatten slightly and make a 2 cm hole in centre of each. Place on an oven tray lined with baking paper, cover with greased plastic wrap and rest for a further 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Boil bagels, two at a time, turning halfway, for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and return to tray. Brush with egg and scatter over seeds.

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Slice bagels in half horizontally and lightly toast. Cool slightly, then spread liberally with lemon-herb schmear. Top half the bagels with lox, capers and red onions, then top with remaining bagels and serve.

Notes

• Barley malt syrup is from health food shops.

• '00' pasta flour, from supermarkets, is a very fine Italian flour grade. Substitute plain flour.

• Lox is available from kosher food shops.

Photography by Brett Stevens

As seen in Feast magazine, October 2011, Issue 2.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.