Apr

21

Soft pretzels

April 21, 2009 | 3 Comments


I hope you had a nice Easter I did, I also took some days off and now I’m well rested. I didn’t take a break from cooking though and I finally tried to make Pretzels, Brezen in German, for the first time. I’ve always thought that they were difficult to prepare, but I was so wrong.

Pretzels are a Bavarian specialty with uncertain origins that can also be found in the Trentino Alto Adige region here in Italy. I’ve actually had never eaten them in Italy instead I first ate them on vacation in the States, I didn’t even know about their existence before then. That’s right I ate them for the first time in the States when I could easily find them one and half hours from Verona, my hometown. I know it’s unbelievable and kind of funny but it’s the simple truth. Anyway I ate them in the States and it was love at first sight or should I say at first taste. Pretzels are sold in many different flavors in the States but I haven’t found a correspondence here in Italy maybe in Germany it’s different. I personally like the simple and classic pretzel best as I prefer salty food. Pretzels were a typical bread served on Easter in Germany, now you find them everyday at the bakeries or at the kiosks like the Englischer Garten in Munich for example.

The pretzels I made are smaller compared to the ones you find in the store, chubbier but the taste is just the same. Right after I baked them I couldn’t wait and I tasted them still hot and I was a little bit disappointed because they were crunchy on the outside even if still soft in the inside. When they cooled off they turned out to be all soft and a little bit chewy, just how I was expecting them to be. I ate them plain and  unfortunately I didn’t have a malted wheat beer on hand. Pretzels can also be frozen and served when you have unexpected guests and welcome them with home made pretzels.

Ingredients:

First dough:
1 scant cup flour
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 package dry active yeast
1 tsp. honey

Addition to first dough:
2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup lukewarm water

To boil the pretzels:
3 quarters water
4 Tbsp. baking soda

coarse salt for topping

Yields: 8 pretzels

Preparation:

Dissolve the dry yeast in the water then add it together with the honey and then to the the flour and mix until well combined. Cover and let it raise for 30 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead until the dough is playable, about 5 minutes. Cover and let it raise for another hour.
Before preparing the pretzels preheat the oven to 420°.
Punch the dough down and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece to about 16 inches in length like a rope. Shape it into an upside down u shape. Bring the ends together, cross them, flatten them and bring them to the top of the pretzel and press gently to attached them to the inside of the pretzels. I didn’t do it right, I just overlapped the ends and I found out when it was too late to make any changes. They came out pretty nice anyway, didn’t they?
Warm up a pan with the water and baking soda. When the water boils add one pretzel or two at the time (I put one) and boil them for 50 seconds. Scoop the pretzels out using a slotted spoon and place them on a kitchen towel to dry. During the boiling process the water will become full of foam, just eliminate it before adding the pretzels otherwise the water might boil over.
Place the pretzels on a baking sheet covered with oven paper, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy them with a glass of cold German beer.

Notes:
This recipe is adapted from Sale & Pepe magazine (April 2009)

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Comments

3 Comments so far

  1. Louise Hundertmark on April 21, 2009 5:00 pm

    Thanks for an extra anniversary (53rd) recipe for my German-descent husband! We both love the Brezen! Louise

  2. admin on April 24, 2009 9:44 am

    Louise happy anniversary. I hope you’ll enjoy the Brezen.

  3. Carmela on April 28, 2009 11:56 am

    Hi Patty! This looks delicious! My mum makes something similar to this. They’re SO yummy…a family favourite. I think she calls them zzippolli?…or curicchi? Next time she makes them I’ll send you a photo (you may recognise them).They too are crispy on the outside and soft inside when just cooked, but then become soft and chewy when cool. They tast fantastic both ways.

    Regards
    Carmela

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