Bobalki (also spelled bobalky, babalki, babalky) are baked balls of dough. They can be served sweet with ground poppy seeds and honey or savory with sauerkraut and onions. They are a favorite for New Years – and during Lent times, but these balls of mouth watering cooked dough are delicious any time of year…
So lets make some fantastic and munchalistic bobalki…
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 tablespoons canola oil or butter
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup honey
Preparation:
- In a medium saucepan, bring to boil 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and oil. Cool down. Meanwhile, dissolve yeast in 1 tablespoon full of sugar and 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well…
- Place flour in a large bowl. Add the warm water, sugar and yeast mixture you just made. Combine thoroughly with flour and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes by hand. Cover and let rise until doubled in size…
- Work dough down by punching it. Remove the excess gases. Dump out onto a lightly floured surface. Then roll the dough to a 1/2 thick sheet and cut into pieces that will result in 1-inch balls when rolled between the palms of the floured hands…
- Place on a well-floured greased cookie sheet with dough ball sides touching. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Let rise in a warm spot, covered with lightly oiled wax paper until nearly doubled in size. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool down completely…
- Meanwhile, grind poppy seeds in a mortar and pestle with a little water or milk and set aside. When bobalki are cooled, break the balls apart from each other and place in a colander. Pour just enough boiling water over bobalki to soften but not turn them into mush. Drain well. Pour warm honey and ground poppy seeds over all. Stir lightly and serve immediately.
- Savory Bobalki: Instead of using poppy seeds and honey, rinse a 1-pound can sauerkraut and squeeze out all moisture. Saute with chopped onion in butter (or oil if following a strict fast). Mix with bobalki and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Posted by Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…