Preserved Lemon Spelt Pletzl

Meet the Preserved Lemon Spelt Pletzl, the old-school Jewish flatbread that gets a very modern makeover. Pletzl may not have the celebrity status of challah or bagels, but it deserves its moment in the spotlight. Think of it as the delicious love child of focaccia and a bialy. It is thin, chewy, savory, and absolutely covered in onions and poppy seeds.

Pletzl has Ashkenazi Jewish roots and has origins in Eastern European Jewish baking. Versions are especially connected with Białystok, Poland. Jewish bakeries eventually carried pletzl to the United States, where onion-topped versions became familiar on Jewish bakery counters. For years, it lived happily alongside bagels and bialys. Then, somehow, everyone forgot about it. Rude.

Traditionally, pletzl gets its personality from caramelized onions and poppy seeds. Serve it as a snack, alongside soup, or as part of a meal. It also has a place in Jewish holiday food traditions. Some families associate pletzl with breaking the Yom Kippur fast. After nearly a day without food, frankly, a warm oniony flatbread is an excellent reason to make it through.

Instead of all-purpose flour, spelt flour takes over. Spelt is an ancient wheat variety with a pleasantly nutty flavor. It also provides fiber and protein, giving this updated pletzl a little more nutritional personality.

But the real plot twist is preserved lemon.

The traditional caramelized onions remain. The poppy seeds stay firmly in the group chat. However, little bits of preserved lemon join the party and add bright, salty, citrusy bursts to every bite. The result is savory, tangy, nutty, and slightly sweet.

So, serve it for a Jewish holiday, alongside soup, or simply because you crave crunchy goodness. This is a forgotten classic worth bringing back.

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Preserved Lemon Spelt Pletzl

Course Bread, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Jewish

Keyword Jewish Bread, Jewish holiday recipes, Jewish recipes, pletzl Recipe, Preserved Lemon pletzl, Spelt pletzl

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Chill/Rise Time: 2 hours

Servings 12

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

Dough Base:

• 3 cups spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 21 grams fresh yeast or a 7-gram packet of active dry yeast.
• Pinch of sugar
• 1+1/4 cups warm water divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing

Topping

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 large onions
• kosher salt
• 2 pinches sugar
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 preserved lemon
• Olive oil to drizzle
• Lemon flavored salt

Instructions

Dough base:

1. Whisk together the flour and salt.
2. Crumble the yeast into 1/4 cup of the warm water and stir in the sugar.
3. Add the mixture to the flour. Then add the olive oil to the remaining water and mix it into the dough.
4. Brush a bowl with olive oil.
5. Transfer the dough to the bowl. Brush the top and sides with olive oil.
6. Cover with plastic cling film.
7. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until it doubles in size.

Topping:

1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Peel the onions and slice into thin rings.
3. Swirl the olive oil and butter together until sizzling.
4. Add the sliced onions to the pan and sauté until transparent.
5. Season with salt and sugar.
6. Cut the preserved lemon into small pieces.

Assemble:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Brush with olive oil.
3. Turn the dough out onto the baking sheet and use your finger to spread it out into a 13” x 12” rectangle.
4. Push your fingertips deep into the dough to create dimples.
5. Spread the sautéed onion out on the dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
6. Evenly distribute the preserved lemon pieces over the onions.
7. Sprinkle the poppy seeds. Over the top
8. Drizzle olive oil over the top.
9. Sprinkle with lemon salt.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
11. Cut and serve.

So, do you like this Preserved Lemon Spelt Pletzl? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:

GRAPE WALNUT FLATBREAD

PRESERVED LEMON POTATO SALAD

SHALLOT BRATWURST GOUDA FLATBREAD