Last week, I went to an Israeli restaurant for dinner and one of the appetizers on the menu was a Jerusalem bagel. I love bread so obviously I was intrigued. I made a mental note that I had to make it one day. So here I am making some Jerusalem bagels. Hopefully they do the ones in Israel justice and that you guys like them too!

I did some research and found out that these are not similar to the bagels I know of here in the United States. Unlike the doughy and chewy NYC bagel, these Jerusalem bagels are softer and lighter in texture, slightly sweet, and always covered in tons of sesame seeds. They are made with milk, baking powder, and honey/sugar to sweeten them up. They are normally eaten with some za’atar spice mix or as side to help you mop of the sauce of your dish. It would go hand in hand with some shakshuka! Let me know if you’ve ever heard of a Jerusalem bagel and if so, how do you normally eat it with?

Jerusalem Bagel

Not only are these insanely therapeutic to make, they also taste so so good. They are so good. They are slightly sweet from the milk and honey. They are so soft and light but they best part is all those sesame seeds! Its like a punch of sesame seeds and I couldn’t be happier about it. You can serve them with some zaatar powder or with an egg in the center! You can even do the sacrilegious thing and schemer some cream cheese on it. 😮

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 pack of rapid rise yeast
• 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar
• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of neutral oil
• 1 egg for an egg wash
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine the milk, water, yeast and honey. Let this bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Then add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and oil. Mix well until a dough forms.
3. Knead for 5 – 10 minutes or until smooth. Proof for 1 hour or until it doubles in size in a warm environment. Your oven or microwave works well.
4. Once the dough has risen, flatten it out into a rectangle (11″x7″). Using a knife or bread scraper, cut out 7 -8 long strands about 11 inches long. Using a back and forth motion with both your hands, round out the edges and stretch out just a tiny bit. You just want to have a rounder not as flat strand.
5. Connect the two ends of the strand and shape into a oval/oblong shape. Repeat with the remaining dough until it is all used up. Pour all your sesame seeds into a large plate.
6. Brush the bagels on both sides with an egg wash and then dip in the sesame seeds. Make sure to cover the entire bagel in sesame seeds. Place the coated bagel on a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
7. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and in the mean time let your bagel proof while the oven gets hot.
8. Once the oven is ready, add the bagels into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Eat while warm!

Toad in a Hole

I loved eating toad in a holes as a kid for breakfast. There is just something so fun about ripping off some bread and then dunking it into the creamy egg yolk! It was only natural to make this with the bagels. I actually love eating this with some olives and feta cheese. Its probably not traditional but it taste really good. Hope you like it!

Ingredients

• 1 Jerusalem bagel
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a non stick pan add some oil in and let that heat up. Next, crack an egg in the pan and sprinkle over some salt and pepper.
2. Then place the Jerusalem bagel right on top while it is still not fully cooked. Be sure to set the bagel right in the center of the yolk so that it peaks through the bagel’s eye.
3. Continue cooking until the egg cooks to your preference. I like my yolk soft so I only cooked mine for about 3 -4 minutes. Follow your egg preference here. Once the egg is cooked. take out your toad in a hole and enjoy!

Jerusalem Bagel Recipe - Pro Home Cooks

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Ingredients:

Jerusalem Bagel Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 pack of rapid rise yeast
• 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar
• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of neutral oil
• 1 egg for an egg wash
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds

Toad in a Hole Ingredients:

• 1 Jerusalem bagel
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• pinch of salt and peppe

Instructions:

Jerusalem Bagel Instructions:

1. In a large bowl combine the milk, water, yeast and honey. Let this bloom for 10 minutes.
2. Then add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and oil. Mix well until a dough forms.
3. Knead for 5 – 10 minutes or until smooth. Proof for 1 hour or until it doubles in size in a warm environment. Your oven or microwave works well.
4. Once the dough has risen, flatten it out into a rectangle (11″x7″). Using a knife or bread scraper, cut out 7 -8 long strands about 11 inches long. Using a back and forth motion with both your hands, round out the edges and stretch out just a tiny bit. You just want to have a rounder not as flat strand.
5. Connect the two ends of the strand and shape into a oval/oblong shape. Repeat with the remaining dough until it is all used up. Pour all your sesame seeds into a large plate.
6. Brush the bagels on both sides with an egg wash and then dip in the sesame seeds. Make sure to cover the entire bagel in sesame seeds. Place the coated bagel on a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
7. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and in the mean time let your bagel proof while the oven gets hot.
8. Once the oven is ready, add the bagels into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Eat while warm!

Toad in a Hole Instructions:

1. In a non stick pan add some oil in and let that heat up. Next, crack an egg in the pan and sprinkle over some salt and pepper.
2. Then place the Jerusalem bagel right on top while it is still not fully cooked. Be sure to set the bagel right in the center of the yolk so that it peaks through the bagel’s eye.
3. Continue cooking until the egg cooks to your preference. I like my yolk soft so I only cooked mine for about 3 -4 minutes. Follow your egg preference here. Once the egg is cooked. take out your toad in a hole and enjoy!