CELEBRATING OKTOBERFEST!
Oktoberfest has somewhat strayed from its roots. The first festival in 1810 was originally to celebrate the marriage of German Crown Prince Ludwig, who later became king, and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. Since then, its become a decadent celebration of fall flavors and fine beers worldwide. This 16-day festival is a celebration of German culture, music, bratwurst, beer, pretzels and much more.
In keeping with Oktoberfest, I thought I would try my hand at making some pretzels this year.
Traditionally, pretzels are a baked bread product made from yeast dough and shaped into a twisted knot. Salt is the most common seasoning for pretzels but various sweet and savory options are now being used. The soft pretzels are eaten soon after they are baked while the hard pretzels have a longer shelf life.
The characteristic flavor and crust of a pretzel comes from the soda treatment. After being shaped, the dough is dipped in boiling water to which soda has been added and then baked. This treatment helps what is known as the Maillard reaction. The process of boiling the pretzels in soda water breaks the protein and increases the amino acid content in the dough, giving it an amazing crust.
Just for a bit of extra flavor, I am stuffing our pretzels. Should be good!
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PRETZELS
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- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast + a pinch of sugar
- 4 cups flour
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 3 cups water
- 1/3 cup baking soda
- 1 egg yolk+ 1 Tbsp water for the egg wash
- Coarse salt for topping OR your choice of seasoning salt
- 170 gm pulled pork, chopped
- 60 gm cheese, shredded of your choice
- 2 Tbsp sweet & spicy barbecue sauce
- 150 gm bratwurst , casings removed, cooked & crumbled
- 100 gm sauerkraut, well drained
- 30 gm cheese, shredded of your choice
- 1-2 Tbsp grainy mustard
Ingredients
Chicken Bacon Ranch Filling
Pulled Pork & Cheese Filling
Bratwurst & Sauerkraut
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- In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, yeast & a pinch of salt; allow to sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt & sugar. Add the frothy yeast mixture along with the melted butter; stir to combine. On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough for about 5 minutes & shape into a ball. Lightly butter the bowl, place the dough in it, cover with a tea towel & allow to rise for 45 minutes in a draft-free place.
- Prepare fillings. This can be done ahead of time which will make the process easier, if you wish.
- In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from skillet, blot on a paper towel & crumble. Place in a bowl & combine with cooked chicken, cheese & ranch dressing; toss until well mixed. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add pork filling ingredients & combine well. Set aside.
- In a skillet, sauté bratwurst until browned & cooked through. Drain on paper towel; place in a bowl with other bratwurst filling ingredients & combine well. Set aside.
- After dough has risen, cut into 12 equal pieces & form each one into a 14-inch strand. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough, lengthwise then roll it out a bit widthwise.
- Divide each of your fillings into 4. Lay a line of filling down the center of each flattened pretzel. You will have 4 of each kind. Press the edges of the dough together to seal in the filling. Roll each strand back & forth to fully seal it up.
- Shape into a pretzel by twisting the two ends around each other then bring it back down over the body of the pretzel.
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Bring 3 cups of water & 1/3 cup baking soda to a low boil. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dip each pretzel in soda water for 20 seconds, remove, using a slotted spoon to drain excess water. Lay pretzels on parchment lined baking sheet & brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
- Bake until tops turn golden brown, 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven & cool on wire rack.