Pletzel, platzel or pletzl (), also known as ''onion board'' or ''onion flat'', is a type of

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

flatbread A flatbread is bread made usually with flour; water, milk, yogurt, or other liquid; and salt, and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are Unleavened bread, unleavened, although some are leavened, such as pita bread. A Se ...

or flat roll similar to

focaccia Focaccia is a Flatbread, flat leavening agent, leavened oven-baked Italian cuisine, Italian bread. In Rome, it is similar to a type of flatbread called (). Focaccia may be served as a side dish or as sandwich bread and it may be round, rectang ...

Overview

In Bialystok, Poland, where the pletzel likely originated, it was known as ''Bialystoken tzibele pletzel kuchen'', or "Bialystock onion pletzel cakes" in

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

. They are related to the bialy, but larger, sweeter, thinner, harder, and flatter. In Eastern Europe, they were sold as a

street food Street food is food sold by a Hawker (trade), hawker or vendor on a street or at another public place, such as a market, fair, or park. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...

from pushcarts. They are also called ''flam pletzel'' or "flame cakes." In Yiddish and Germanic languages, ''pletzel'' literally refers to a small town square, perhaps inspiring the name for the square of dough with onions and poppy seeds imaginatively invoking a plaza. An American Jewish immigrant autobiography written in Yiddish in 1936 mentions eating pletzel. They became common in the Lower East Side Jewish community in New York City, where they became a staple food alongside

bagels A bagel (; ; also spelled beigel) is a bread roll originating in the Jewish communities of Poland. Bagels are traditionally made from yeasted wheat dough that is shaped by hand into a torus or ring, briefly boiled in water, and then baked. T ...

and bialys. They could also be found in the

East End of London. Baked with onions and poppy seeds, they may also be served with goose fat or schmaltz, pot cheese,

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...

, chopped liver, egg salad, or

cream cheese Cream cheese is a soft, usually mild-tasting fresh cheese made from milk and cream.Oxford English Dictionary Cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, so it differs from other soft cheeses such as Brie and Neuf ...

, as a spread ( schmear). They also can be served with meats or soup. Pletzlach were commonly sold in American Jewish bakeries and Jewish dairy restaurants until the end of the 20th century, and have become considerably rarer, but can still be found. The pletzel may be obtained at Jewish bakeries such as Kossar's Bialys of the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Historically, it w ...

, or Zabar's.

References

{{Flatbreads Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine Crackers (food) Flatbreads Jewish American cuisine Jewish breads

Overview

See also

References