Source:

recipes.wenzel.net

Serves/Makes:30 servings

Ingredients

• 8 cups (1900 ml) Flour
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Sugar
• 2 cakes Fresh yeast
• 2 cups (475 ml) Potato water, lukewarm**
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Salad oil
• 4 Eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) Sugar
• 2 quarts (1900 ml) Boiling water
• Poppy seeds or sesame seeds (optional)
• ** See Preparation

Preparation

• ** This is water in which peeled potatoes have been cooked. Plain water may be used, but it is not as good.
• Sift together dry ingredients.
• Soften yeast in 1/3 of the potato water (2/3 cup).
• Add softened yeast to flour.
• Add oil to remaining potato water and stir into the flour mixture.
• Add eggs and stir mixture briskly to form a ball of dough.
• Knead on a lightly floured board for 10 minutes. (This MUST be a FIRM DOUGH. Add more flour if necessary.)
• Return to the bowl, smooth side up.
• Cover with a towel (such as tea towel) and let rise at room temperature (usually about 85 degrees) until the dough rises to the top of the bowl.
• Knead again on a lightly floured board until smooth and elastic (for example, as for rolls).
• Pinch off pieces of dough and roll between the palms of the hands to form ropes about 6 inches long and 3/4 inch wide.
• Pinch the ends together firmly to make a doughnut shape.
• Add sugar to boiling water.
• Drop bagels into water one at a time.
• As they come to the surface, turn them over.
• Boil 1 minute longer on the second side.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in preheated over at 450 degrees (225 C.), until the crust is golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Bagels may be sprinkled with poppy seeds or sesame seeds before baking, as desired.

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