Jerusalem Bagels - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons oil (olive oil is good but optional)
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1.)Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl of an electric mixer with a dough hook until it comes together into a 'shaggy' dough. Then mix at medium speed for about 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and a little shiny.
2.) Place it in a lightly-oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover and let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
3.) Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces (depending on the size of the bagels). Then flatten each piece. Punch a hole in the middle using you thumb, then stretch the dough (careful not to tear it) into an elongated oval bagel shape.
4.)Place each bagel on a parchment lined baking tray. Cover and let rise a second time, this time for about 20 minutes.
5.)Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Before baking, brush each bagel with egg diluted in water then sprinkle heavily with sesame seeds mixed with sugar and salt (2 Tbs sugar + 1 Tbs salt + 3 Tbs. sesame seeds).
6.)Bake for 15 minutes until they are a rich golden brown and crispy. Cool on a rack and serve with za'atar and olive oil. Yum!