Za'atar-Dusted Bagels #FoodieExtravaganza

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month.

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!

This month Sue of Palatable Pastime is hosting this month's #FoodieExtravaganza. She wrote: "Share a recipe with us that involve bagels for National "Have a Bagel" Day. These can be recipes to make bagels, bagel toppers, bagel schmears, bagel sandwiches- anything that gets the bagel onto the plate." Love it. Let's jump right in to the topic of the day: bagels!

Bagels and Lox on the Casual Side by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Chicken Donut Kebab Bagel Sandwich by Sneha's Recipe
Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole by Making Miracles
Everything Bagel Seasoning & Avocado Topped Bagels by Palatable Pastime
Marbled Rye Bagels by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Piquant Veggie Bagel Spread by Magical Ingredients
Stuffed Bagel Balls by Food Lust People Love
Za'atar-Dusted Bagels by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Once this event was assigned, I started researching and recipe testing. You can read all about that in The Bagel Conflict and My Left Coast Bagel. Once I got the hang of bagels, I make them about every other week. I've made them with poppy seeds, with salt, with dried cranberries, and more. But the bagel I'm sharing today is my Za'atar-Dusted Bagel.

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice mixture that I always have on hand. It's a breeze to make and adds something fabulous to olive oil for dipping and - I've just discovered - as a spice rub on any kind of meat! My za'atar recipe makes about 5 tablespoons. If you have any leftover (you will), keep it in a sealed jar for future use.

Ingredients makes 8 bagels

Bagels

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon organic granulated sugar
1-1/4 cup warm water plus more as needed
3-1/4 cups flour plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon salt (I used the Tung Fu Salt from Big Sur Salts that has passion fruit wild salt, toasted coconut, lemongrass, Birdseye Thai chili, lime)
za'atar, as needed

Za'atar

2 Tablespoons fresh herbs, pulled off the stem and minced (I used thyme and oregano)
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (I used black and white sesame seeds)
1 Tablespoon ground sumac
1/2 teaspoon flake salt

Procedure

Za'atar

In batches, blend and crush the spices with a mortar and pestle. Leave some sesame seeds whole, if you wish.

Bagels

Pour 1/2 cup warm water in a medium mixing bowl. Add in the sugar and the yeast. Let bloom for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Form a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Add another 1/2 cup warm water to the well also. Use a wooden spoon to combine to form a stiff dough. You may need another 1/4 water if the dough is too stiff.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead the dough until it is smooth an elastic, approximately 10 minutes.

Oil a large mixing bowl and place the dough inside, rolling it over so that every surface of your ball is covered. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough down, then let it rest for another 10 minutes.

After the dough has rested for a second time, divide the dough into 8 pieces. I am not that precise, so they are uneven. But you can weigh them if you wish.

Roll the dough into a ball. Press your thumb into the center of each dough ball to form a ring. Gently stretch the ring to about a third of the diameter of the bagel. Place the bagel on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with all the dough until you have eight bagels.

After shaping the dough let them rest while you bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the water has come to a rolling boil, lower the bagels into the water. Don't crowd them; I usually do four at a time. Boil the bagels for 2 minutes before flipping them over and boiling them for another 2 minutes.

Place them back on the baking sheet and sprinkle them with whatever topping you desire. I used my homemade za'atar for this batch. Put the tray in the oven until the bagels are golden brown, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!