Yes, I know that making something as labor-intensive as bagels is very unlike me, but I do it now and then. I use this recipe from the Sunset Cookbook of Breads.

Here’s how:

EGG BAGELS

• 2 packages yeast, active dry or compressed
• 2 cups warm potato water (water in which potatoes have been cooked) (lukewarm for compressed yeast)
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup salad oil
• About 8 cups unsifted regular all-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Boiling water
• 2 egg yolks beaten with 2 Tablespoons water

Soften yeast in 1/2 cup of the potato water. Beat eggs in large bowl; blend in the yeast, remaining potato water, salt, sugar, oil, and 2 cups of flour. Stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn out on a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed to make a firm dough. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover lightly, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down, and knead it for a few minutes on a lightly floured board until it is smooth. Roll the dough out to a rectangle, and divided into 32 pieces of equal size. Roll each piece between the palms to form a strand about 6 inches long and 3/4 inch in diameter.

Moisten the ends, and seal them together firmly to make doughnut-shaped rolls of uniform thickness. Let them rise on a board for about 15 minutes (if the rolls come unsealed during rising, reseal ends before boiling).

Dissolve 2 Tablespoons of sugar in 2 quarts of boiling water in a deep pot. Drop bagels into the water, one at a time. They will rise quickly to the surface. Do not crowd. As the bagels come to the surface, turn them over. Boil for 3 minutes on the second side.

Remove with slotted or runcible spoon and place on greased baking sheets; brush with egg yolk glaze.

Bake in a hot oven (425F) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crust in golden brown and crisp.

Makes 32 bagels.

They ain’t symmetrical, but they sure were good!

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character makes a labor-intensive dish and the result is less than attractive.

MA