Pletzel (Jewish Onion Board) #BBB

 

We've gone from pretzels to pletzel this week!  Only similar for the alliteration and rhyme, this month's Bread Baking Babes pick is an Ashkenazi Jewish flatbread and is sometimes called an Onion Board.  The flavor is quite similar to the onion and poppy seed bialys we have made before.  I recall liking those very much!  This is just a larger and arguably easier version that feeds a crowd as far as I am concerned.  The dough can vary from a lean dough like this one, to leftover challah dough, a much richer option.  I think this lean dough is ideal and of course I love my onions.

Not wanting to turn on my oven still, I divided the dough in half and made two boards in my toaster oven.  (I am still thrilled with this new toaster oven!)  They turned out a perfect size for our family and everyone that tried a piece liked it.  The second batch, I topped with some furikake as the closest thing to everything bagel seasoning I had on hand.  Figured it would be good!

We would love to have you try out this savory flat bread with us this month and share how it turned out! New recipes are posted every month on the 16th. Check out our Facebook group to see the participants' baking results during that time.  If you would like to post your results with a Buddy badge on a blog, let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page.

Pletzel (Jewish Onion Board)
makes 1 large or two medium onion boards

Dough:

375 g (3 cups) all purpose flour
7 g (2¼ teaspoons) instant yeast
7 g (2 tsp) Diamond Crystal kosher salt (That is only 1 tsp sea salt by weight)
3 tbsp, olive oil, divided
294 g (1¼ cups) warm water (about 110º F)

Topping:

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for stretching
3 large yellow or brown onions, about 3/8 inch dice
1¾ grams (½ teaspoon) kosher salt
1 tbsp (plus more if desired) poppy seeds
Flake sea salt (optional)


Instructions:

Mix the flour, yeast, salt, 2 tbsp oil, and water until all of the flour is absorbed.

Grease a large bowl or dough rising bucket with remaining oil and scrape the dough into it. Turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise overnight, about 10 to 15 hours. It should double.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator while you heat the oven and prepare the onions.

If you have a baking stone, set it on a rack in the middle or slightly below. Heat your oven to 450º F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is translucent and slightly browned about the edges, about 20 to 30 minutes. When they are almost done, stir in the salt. Remove the onions from the pan and let cool in a bowl.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Scrape the dough onto the parchment and spread it by dimpling it with your oiled fingertips while pushing to the edges. If the dough is resistant, let it rest for 10 minutes, and start spreading it again (until you have about a 10 inch by 14 inch rectangle).

Brush the edges of the dough lightly with olive oil. Spread the onion mixture over the dough, leaving about a 1 inch border. Sprinkle with onions with the poppy seeds. Lightly sprinkle with the optional sea salt. Let rest, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 minutes. 

First half board

Second half board

Place the baking sheet on top of the baking stone and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cut with a pizza wheel or kitchen scissors. It's best fresh from the oven, but can be reheated, just like pizza. 

The rest of the Bread Baking Babes

• Blog from OUR Kitchen – Elizabeth
  
• Judy’s Gross Eats – Judy
• My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
• Bread Experience - Cathy
• Thyme for Cooking - Katie
• My Kitchen in Half Cups - Tanna
• Feeding My Enthusiasms - Elle 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories - Karen