Chez Jo Goldenberg was a famous Jewish restaurant and delicatessen in Le Marais, the historical Jewish quarter of Paris. This area had become the home to hundreds-of-thousands of eastern European Jews who fled the pogroms at the turn of the century. Through the years, Kosher eateries, markets, and shops lined the busy Rue des Rosiers. In one brief moment, Chez Jo Goldenberg went from being a popular destination in Paris to become famous throughout the world.
That brief moment was August 9th 1982, when three Palestinian terrorists, tossed several hand grenades into the busy dining room and then rushed in firing machine guns indiscriminately. Six people were killed, including two Americans, and twenty four were injured in what was called at the time “the heaviest toll suffered by Jews in France since World War II.” As horrible as that day was, the scandal that was uncovered 33 years later was, in some ways, just as shocking. French authorities reportedly had secretly agreed later that year not to prosecute the “Rosiers Street killers” if the terror group pledged not to attack French targets again.
Although the restaurant closed in 2006 and owner Jo Goldenberg died in 2014, this is his original recipe has lived on in Montreal, Canada, and has been adapted here for the home cook to painlessly recreate and understand why the restaurant’s bagels were so popular in the first place.
Jo Goldenberg and Montreal Bagels
Equipment
- Large baking sheet with baking rack
- Stand Mixer with dough hook attachment
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 4½ cup Bread flour (Sub: ½ All-purpose flour and ½ whole wheat flour)
- 1⅔ cup Warm water (not hot)
- 4 tsp Active dry yeast
- ¼ cup Sugar (Double amount for Montreal bagels)
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup Honey (Sub: equal amount of sugar or Barley malt)
- 1 large Egg yolk (omit for Montreal bagel)
- 1 Egg beaten with 1 tsp water, for egg wash
- Toppings – sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and/or everything bagel spice, or nothing ("plain")
Instructions
Make Dough
- Combine yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
- Measure bread flour and add it to the stand mixer bowl. Add salt to the flour. Add your yeast mixture, followed by olive oil and egg yolk (omit for Montreal bagels). With the hook attachment, run the stand mixer for 8-10 minutes, until you have a nice and supple dough.
- Transfer the dough ball to an oiled bowl and covered in a kitchen towel and allow it to proof for 1 hour to double in size. You can also proof it in the stand mixer bowl itself, just make sure to oil your dough ball well so it doesn't stick.
Prepare Bagels
- Turn out risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Press down dough with fingers to release any trapped gasses. Roll into a log and divide log into 12 (Jo Goldenberg) or 15 (Montreal bagel) equal slices. Roll slices into balls and then roll each into a thick "rope". Form circle and attach ends and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Proof another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (220°C). Bring water and honey to a boil and then turn down to a simmer that's not boiling. Let water come to temperature while preparing the bagels. Place a kitchen towel next to the simmering water.
Boil Bagels
- With a wide slotted spoon, place 3 bagels at a time into the boiling water. They should drop to the bottom and then resurface after 5 seconds. Simmer 1 minute, turn over, and simmer for another minute. Transfer cooked bagels to the kitchen towel, flatter side down, and pat dry. Repeat until all done. Let bagels sit for 10 minutes uncovered.
Bake Bagels
- Place bagels on a baking rack set over an ungreased or nonstick baking sheet. Paint the top of the bagels with egg wash. Liberally sprinkle preferred topping over each. Remove rack from pan and shake excess seeds from the pan. Lightly oil same baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet in preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until they turn a nice golden brown. Remove pan from oven and let bagels cool a bit before eating, if that's even possible.
Eat Bagels
- Allow bagels to cool before slicing. Bagels can be toasted and smeared with butter, peanut butter, cream cheese, whatever. The are perfect topped with cream cheese, red onion, cured salmon. and capers…aka bagels and lox.
Notes
- Bagels can be stored in a ziplock bag on your counter for up to 3 days. They can be refrigerated another 2 days. They may also sliced and frozen indefinitely.
Nutrition