Bake

"Everything" Pletzel (Onion Board Bread)

April 16, 2016
4
4 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes one 9-x-13-inch loaf
Author Notes

The pletzel is a Jewish flatbread similar to focaccia, normally topped with onion and poppy seeds. It's also referred to as an "onion board." I added a few extra toppings to turn it in to an "Everything" pletzel! —inpatskitchen

Test Kitchen Notes

This is super low-maintenance for bread! There's no need to knead or any long-rising times. Once baked, the inside was soft and fluffy with a nice texture, while the crust of the bread was quite crunchy and snappy, rather than chewy. I had a bit of trouble with it sticking to the pan, so be sure to grease it well. The other thing I found was that the onions on top started to burn before the bread was baked, but I just covered the pan with foil for the last 15 minutes to keep them from browning too much. —Jo Keohane

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the bread:
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water (100 to 120° F)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups bread flour
  • For the topping and finishing:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • The previously made dough
  • 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt
Directions
  1. For the bread:
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
  3. Stir in the beaten egg, oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour, starting with about 2 cups. Add more flour as needed until you get a soft but slightly sticky dough. Cover and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
  1. For the topping and finishing:
  2. To make the topping, gently sauté the onions in the olive oil until lightly browned. Once there, take the pan off the heat and grate in the garlic (use a microplane or garlic press). Stir in the sesame and poppy seeds and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Generously oil a 9-x-13-inch baking pan and spread the rested dough in. I use wet hands to make the spreading easier.
  4. Spread the onion and seed topping over the loaf and then sprinkle with the salt. Use a little more if you like your "everything" salty.
  5. Let the bread rest for about 30 minutes and then bake in a 400° F preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Best served warm.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • inpatskitchen
    inpatskitchen
  • Allison
    Allison
  • btglenn
    btglenn
inpatskitchen

Recipe by: inpatskitchen

I think I get my love for food and cooking from my mom, who was an amazing cook. She would start baking and freezing a month before Christmas in order to host our huge open house on Christmas afternoon. I watched and I learned...to this day I try not to procrastinate when it comes to entertaining. My cooking style is pretty much all over the place, although I'm definitely partial to Greek and Italian cuisine. Oh yes, throw a little Cajun in there too!

6 Reviews

Allison October 9, 2020
Sounds great! I grew up with pletzels , which are traditionally available at bagel shops in NYC but not elsewhere. Because of this, I have been looking for a recipe for this. By the way, the shape is usually round and the look/ texture is slightly similar to a bialy.
 
inpatskitchen October 9, 2020
Thanks Allison! Hope this one meets with your satisfaction. Let me know how you like it.
 
btglenn August 13, 2017
Looks like a Jewish version of foccacia -- not much different.
 
inpatskitchen August 13, 2017
That's right...as I indicated in my headnote.
 
Bevi May 6, 2016
My grandmother made something very similar to this for her guests. I remember that she sliced her onions because every now and then a long, wormy, onion slice would appear in the bread!
 
inpatskitchen May 7, 2016
Too funny!!