Pletzel

Pletzel, a traditional Jewish delicatessen specialty, is an onion and seed covered cracker, similar to, but less airy than a lavash cracker. The dough for pletzel ressembles challah dough, but it is rolled very thin and not allowed to rise. This pletzel recipe was adapted from a recipe of George Greenstein's Secrets of a Jewish Baker by way of my good friend and Jewish baker, Bob Halperin.

Topping:

3/4 cup yellow onions, chopped
1-2 tsp. poppy seeds (more to sprinkle on pletzel)
1-2 tsp. olive or canola oil
salt to taste (about 3/4 tsp.)

Mix all topping ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Dough:

1 1/2 T. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup ice water
2 large eggs
4 cups bread flour
2 1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. canola oil
2 T. sugar
2 T. malt syrup

In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the plastic blade, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, stir. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth and dough forms a ball, cleaning the sides of the processor. Add additional flour if needed. Processing should be at most 2-3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 15-30 minutes.
Spray vegetable oil spray on two large cookie sheets. Divide dough in two, and roll as thin as possible, letting dough rest if it is hard to roll. Place dough on the cookie sheets. Brush with canola oil. Stipple all over with a fork, spread with onion topping, sprinkle with additional poppyseeds, and bake at 400° (with a pan of water for steam in the oven) for 20-30 minutes until brown. These will be cracker-like and can be served with appetizers or a main course, or just a hearty bowl of soup.

Back to Ruth's Kitchen