[Sca-cooks] bagels

[David Friedman]

Pennsic before last (I think) we attended a 
class on Italian cooking, which included a 
handout which included what appears to be a bagel 
recipe from Messibugio. I think the class was by 
an apprentice of Master Basileus Phocas (sp?), 
but am not sure.  The recipe is on page 39 of my 
copy of Libro Novo and is the second recipe 
given. In the original, the title is:

Brazzatelle di latte, e zuccaro

It occurs to me, after reading Bear's post on 
pretzels and bagels, that the word is probably 
related to "pretzel" and one could interpret the 
recipe as a pretzel rather than a bagel recipe. 
Are pretzels boiled and then baked?

Here is the translation that was handed out, and how I made them.

Bagels of Milk and Sugar
from Messibugio, Libro Novo 1557

To make fifty bagels of four ounces each you will 
take fifteen lbs of best flour, three ounces of 
rose water, three pounds of milk, two pounds of 
white sugar, 25 eggs, four ounces of butter, and 
you will knead these things together very well.

Then you will make your bagels according to the 
method you want to use, and then you will let 
rise with careful attention, and after it has 
risen you will boil your water, and then you will 
place inside the above-mentioned bagels to cook, 
and when they come to the top you will take out, 
and then you will put in fresh water, and when 
you have removed them from within you will put 
them to cook in the oven, and if you want to put 
inside anise it is a good deed.
-----------------
Here is how I did it:

(1/6 quantities)

2 1/2 lb flour--about 8c
1/2 oz rose water
1/2 lb milk--about 1 c
1/3 lb sugar=2/3 c
4 eggs
8/9 oz butter
(1 c sourdough)
Aniseeds

Note 1: The recipes says it produces fifty bagels 
weighing four ounces each, but uses about 18-20 
lbs of ingredients, after allowing for cooking 
off the water in the milk. I concluded that it 
was using a 12 ounce pound, like the troy pound 
or the Islamic ratl, rather than a 16 ounce 
pound. The finished bagels weighed about 7 
avoirdoupois ounces, which is still a little 
heavy; on my assumption it should have been 5 1/3 
ounces.

Note 2: The recipe is for a leavened bread, but 
no leavening is mentioned. My guess is that it is 
using either sourdough or a kneading trough with 
its own yeast culture. I used sourdough.

Note 3: The reasons for interpreting this as 
bagels are the boiling/baking sequence, the size, 
and the reference to making the bagels according 
to the method you want to use, which suggests 
some special shape or shapes.

Combine flour and sugar; cut in the (softened) 
butter. Combine the liquid ingredients, including 
the sourdough, mix, add to the dry ingredients 
and knead until you have a smooth dough. Cover 
with a damp towel, let rise at least nine hours. 
Then divide into nine equal portions, roll each 
into a cylinder about 9-10" long, join the ends 
to form a torus (i.e. bagel shape). Leave it 
until it has risen again, which should be another 
five hours or so at room temperature (i.e. 70° 
F). Your rising times may differ from this, 
depending on your sourdough culture.

When the bagels have risen, fill a pot at least 
five inches deep with water, if possible more. 
Bring the water to a boil. Put in as many of the 
bagels as you can manage without to much of a 
problem of sticking. Boil until they rise to the 
top, which should start happening in three or 
four minutes. Make sure they have not stuck to 
the bottom; if they have loosen with a spatula 
(pancake turner). When each bagel floats to the 
top take it out, dunk it briefly in a bowl of 
water, drain, put on a cookie sheet or the like. 
Bake them in a 400° oven until brown--about 20 
minutes.

If you like, before putting them in to bake sprinkle on aniseed.

-- 
David/Cariadoc
www.daviddfriedman.com