Sourdough bagels

Most of our recipies at our home have converted over to sour dough. Benefits of sour dough include:

• pre-digesting starches, making the bread more easily digestible
• lowering insulin response/improving glucose tolerance
• protecting Vitamin B1 from the damage of the heat of baking
• breaking down gluten, which may result in a bread that gluten-sensitive people can eat
• activating phytase to hydrolyze (dissolve) the phytates, thus freeing up minerals such as:
  • zinc
  • iron
  • magnesium
  • copper
  • phosphorus

Before you begin sour dough recipes you have to have a starter that you can get from a friend or make your own. Sour dough is alive so it needs your attention. Here is what I did.
I got a culture to start it from http://www.culturesforhealth.com/spelt-sourdough-starter.html
I got the spelt as that is my favorite flour to work with. Than I followed the directions for a starter. Once that is done than you can make this recipie!
I got this from my favorite sour doe book – Classic Sourdoughs A Home Bakers Handbook- amazon
This recipie makes 15 bagels although I always double mine and freeze half

• 2 cups of culture
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 tbs oil
• ½ cup of milk
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 cups of spelt flour

Mix culture, eggs, oil, milk, salt and sugar
Add flour one cup at a time till the dough is stiff. Turn unto a floured bread board and knead till satiny. Cover and proof in a metal or glass bowl for 8-12 hours or overnight.
Divide dough into 15 equal balls. Roll each ball into a 6 inch rope and pinch the ends together to form a doughnut shape. Proof covered for one hour in a warm place. Bring 4 cups of water and 2 tbs maple suryp to a boil. Drop bagels in 2 at a time and remove when they float or are puffed up. Remove and drain off water. Place on baking sheet and bake for 25 min to golden brown at 375 degrees.
Cut bagels in half if you are going to freeze which is what I do! I always double my recipies!