Jewish bread mostly adhere to the Sabbath laws of cooking and are consumed by Jews during regular and special occasions. The Jews serve different types of bread for each occasion and these breads are adorned by some symbols like braids which depict bonding.
Jewish Bread Recipe Variants: Introduction, Ingredients and Method of Preparation
-
Challah: This is a popular bread eaten by the Ashkenzi Jewish community on Holidays and Sabbath. The challah is variously known as berches (Swabian), bergis (Stockholm), barkis (Gothenburg), and Kitke (South African).
As per the Jewish food traditions the table should be laid with challah during Sabbath meals (which start from Friday night and lasts till Saturday late evening) and Yamim Tovim (holidays). This bread is normally rolled into long braids but on special occasions like Jewish New Year (Rosh Hassanah) the challah if shaped in circular shape and that which is cooked for the first Shabbat after the Passover, is inscribed with the symbol of key. It is known as Schlissel challah. Usually the challahs are torn rather than cut because the Jews consider the knife as the symbol of violence.
All-purpose flour, lightly beaten egg and yolks, vegetable oil, salt, sugar, yeast, warm water, cold water, and poppy seeds are required to bake a challah. The dough is prepared by combining the ingredients and then they are allowed to double in size. The braids are prepared and brushed with egg wash and sesame seeds are sprinkled on it. The bread is baked until it turns golden brown.
-
Bagel: This Jewish bread variant is also known as biegel and it is normally shaped by hand in ring form and is prepared using the yeasted wheat dough. It is often topped with sesame seeds on the outer crust. The roll, with a hole design, has been around for about a century and they are prepared variously in different parts of the world.
Wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast leavening are the regular ingredients used in the preparation of bagel. Normally high gluten flours or the regular bread flour are used in the preparation of bagel to make it spongy, chewy, firm and dense. The ingredients are combined and formed into dough, then shaped, proofed and boiled in water. The boiled dough is then baked to form a bagel.
-
Bagel Toast: This is a type of Jewish bread variant which is served as a sandwich in Israel. It is basically prepared by pressing and toasting the bagel on Panini press or sandwich toaster and this toast is stuffed with ingredients like olives, tomatoes, dressing, pizza sauce, feta cheese, etc.It is typically served in most of the cafes around Israel.
-
Malwach: This is a staple Yemeni Jewish bread and it resembles a pancake. Due to migration of Yemenis to Israel the malwach has become a popular comfort food there. The puff pastry is used in the preparation of this bread, which is fried using fat.