Make King Arthur’s flagel sandwich bagel

Years ago, New Jersey bagel masters discovered the secret to creating an easy-to-eat bagel sandwich.

Enter, the flagel — or “flat bagel.” A flagel is made the same way a regular bagel is: the dough is mixed, proofed, boiled then baked. The difference is, the flagel is flattened after it is boiled, before it goes into the oven. The result is a crispier, thinner bagel.

Why would anyone forego the delicious fluffiness of a typical bagel? Because when stacked with egg, cheese and Taylor ham, it’s a lot easier to eat. Getting your mouth around a breakfast sandwich can be a messy endeavor.

The flour brand King Arthur recently released its 2022 “recipe of the year,” the “ultimate sandwich bagel” which is essentially a small crispy bagel. It’s not exactly a flagel in that it’s not flattened before baking. But, the result is a much smaller, thinner bagel that makes eating a breakfast sandwich easier.

“These light, crispy bagels are the perfect size and texture — neither too soft, nor challengingly chewy — for filling with flavorful toppings,” notes the recipe of the year description.

Of course, we could always pop down to the local bagel shop for a flagel sandwich. But, if omicron has you sequestered or bored, here’s how to make the King Arthur ultimate sandwich bagel. Warning: this takes a full 20 hours to make.

King Arthur Ultimate Sandwich Bagel

Ingredients

For the starter 

1 cup (120 g) unbleached bread flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/16 teaspoon instant yeast

1/3 cup (75 g) cool water

For the dough

Add the starter

3/4 cup (170 g) water, room temperature

2 teaspoons (14 g) barley malt syrup or 1 tablespoon (13 g) dark brown sugar, packed

3/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 cups (300 g) unbleached bread flour

For the water bath

8 cups (1808 g) water

2 tablespoons (42 g) barley malt syrup or honey

For the toppings (optional)

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1/3 cup (47 g) Everything Bagel topping or seeds of your choice

Instructions

Pâte fermentée starter: In a large bowl, stir together the starter ingredients to make a shaggy dough. Then use your hand to knead gently until the dough is stiff. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 4 to 14 hours.