SUN-DRIED TOMATO BAGELS

Sun-Dried Tomato Bagels image

At work, we had these delicious sun-dried tomato bagels, but they're really too expensive to eat every morning and I didn't know what was going into them. Since I was gifted with a breadmaker many years ago, I knew it was time to try making them on my own. Here's the result, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Also, if sun-dried tomatoes aren't your thing, you can replace them with about a quarter cup of your personal favorite ingredient: You can do almost anything, just by changing the type of oil/shortening and the flavor ingredient. Berry bagel? 1/4 + cup (blue /rasp/straw)berries and 2 tbsp butter (instead of olive oil). Garlic? Keep the olive oil or substitute garlic infused and drop a head's worth of peeled cloves into the mix. Want the garlic more whole in the end result? Drop them in during the last stir sequence (or, if by hand, when you've almost completed kneading). Egg bagel, toss in yolks. Herb bagel? Rosemary, thyme, perhaps cheddar into the mix. The possibilities are endless, and I'm all sbout the potential.

Provided by Bansidhe

Categories Yeast Breads

Time 1h40m

Yield 10-12 bagels

Number Of Ingredients 7

Previous Next

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups hot water (~110 F)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato, coarsely chopped
3 -3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

Steps:

BREAD MACHINE: Put the ingredients in the bread pan in the order listed, and then put the bread pan into the bread machine. Select the dough setting, as you won't be baking this in the machine.
When the dough sequence completes, stop the machine and remove the dough.
BY HAND: In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Combine water, sugar, and salt; pour over flour mixture.
Add the tomatoes and beat at low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds to a minute, scraping bowl a few times.
Stir in as much flour as you can mix with a spoon.
Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).
Cover with a clean towel and let rest 10 minutes.
FOR BOTH: Cut into 10-12 equal portions; shape each portion into a smooth ball.
Punch a hole in the center of each ball with your fingers and pull gently to make a 1 1/2 inch hole in the center.
Arrange the rounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat (NOT wax paper, trust me) and cover with a clean towel.
Put the cookie sheet into a warm place and allow it to rise undisturbed, 45-60 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 400 F at this time.
In a large saucepan or wok, bring 2 quarts of water to boil over medium heat. (Do NOT use a non-stick pan for this.)
Carefully drop the dough rounds into the water one at a time and boil each bagel about 2-3 minutes, until visibly puffed from the water.
Remove the bagels from the water and transfer briefly to a clean towel before moving to the cookie sheet again.
Bake at 400 F until lightly browned, about 20 minute.