A Passover miracle

The staple hametz bagel has crossed over.

By MIRIAM KRESH
The Inbal Hotel's passover bagel (photo credit: INBAL HOTEL)
The Inbal Hotel's passover bagel
(photo credit: INBAL HOTEL)
Much as we love the holiday, there has always been one gastronomic regret: Seven days with no bagel to support lox and cream cheese. Now finally, centuries of self-denial have been rewarded. Jerusalem’s Inbal Hotel executive chef Andreas Marinkovits has come up with a minor matza meal miracle. His kosher-for-Passover boiled hard-crust bagel with a soft inside is said to be indistinguishable from the forbidden hametz variety.
Bagel mavins will, you should pardon the expression, plotz.
Chef Marinkovits has been generous enough to share this historic recipe, so we can make them at home; although, if you just want some pampering or are here on holiday without your own kitchen, he will be serving hundreds of them at the Inbal over the Passover holiday.
Bagel trivia
Did you know that the hole in the bagel has a purpose? It made schlepping hot bagels around much easier for street vendors. All they had to do was slide as many bagels onto a dowel as would fit, and they were good to go.
Bagels ‘kasher lePessah’
Makes about 20
Ingredients:
400 ml. water
100 ml. oil (vegetable) or 100 gr. margarine
30 gr. sugar
10 gr. salt
400 gr. matza flour
8 eggs Eggs mixed with a little water for brushing bagels
Optional: Sea salt or crushed walnuts for sprinkling over the bagels.
1. In a medium pot, bring water, oil and sugar to a simmer on medium heat.
2. Add the matza flour, and with a wooden spoon, stir quickly in one direction. You will see that the matza flour starts absorbing the liquid, and dough forms.
3. Keep stirring to continue cooking the matza flour and cook off some of the liquid, another minute or two.
4. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
5. Add the salt and the eggs one at a time, mixing until the eggs are incorporated into the dough.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C or about 350°F.
7. Divide dough in half, and then each half into 10 equal pieces shaped into rolls.
8. Grease your forefinger and make a hole in the middle of the roll, then twirl until bagel is shaped.
9. Line baking tray with parchment paper and put bagels on the tray.
10. Brush bagels with egg mixture, and sprinkle with sea salt or crushed walnuts if desired.
11. Bake in oven for 35 to 40 minutes.