Herbed Salted Pretzel Bread Salad Bowls

Today I'm going to talk with you about salt.  And we'll also talk about pretzels.  And about homemade breads and bread bowls and stand mixers.  OK, we've got a lot to talk about.  Maybe you should sit down for a while and have a pretzel roll.  I love salty pretzels.  Growing up in Manhattan, my mother and I would go to the park and we'd get a big salty pretzel from one of the vendors and split it.  She sometimes flicked some of the salt off her piece but I thought it was the best part.  Nobody needs a naked pretzel!

I never knew about pretzel rolls until recently and now they seem to be everywhere.  Homemade bread with a pretzel crust?  Sign me up for that!  Pretzel bread bowls are even better because you can fill them with stuff.  I know soup is traditional but it's getting a little warm for soup and I'm breaking out the salad.  Salad in a pretzel bread bowl?  Sign me up for that, too!  Either way, we need salt and not table salt, either.  Big flakes of sea salt are what's needed for that perfect taste on your tongue.

I've seen salt tastings on food shows but never got to experience them myself.  Not much salt variety in my regular market.  But, when I had the chance, recently, to chat with one of the founders of Salt Revolution, he graciously sent me a bag of their Aztec Sea Salt to try.  He described it as course, crunchy and moist with a pop when you bite into it.  Definitely not the stuff I get in my market.  He and his business partner have a wealth of information on the benefits of natural sea salt versus processed table salt and how they came to find this resource.  Read their interesting story here.

That course, crunchy and wonderful salt bite against the crisp pretzel crust was exactly what I got and now I pretty much want to sprinkle it on everything.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups warm water (approx. 115 degrees F)
1 Package (1/4 oz.) yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 Teaspoons Aztec Sea Salt
4 Cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons chopped scallions
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, for topping
1 Teaspoon Aztec Sea Salt, for topping

8 Cups water and 1/4 cup baking soda to form pretzel crust

Note:  It is so much easier to make this with a stand mixer but sadly, the one I want is still on my wish list.  It is possible to do this by hand, which is what I did.

Combine the water, sugar and salt in a large bowl and sprinkle on the yeast.  Allow to sit for about 10 minutes until it begins to foam.  Using a large spoon or on low mixer speed, slowly mix in the flour, one cup at a time.  If it's a humid day and your dough feels wet, add in another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour.  Add in the scallions and knead the dough (by hand or machine) for about ten minutes.  Place the ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise.  In about an hour, the dough should have doubled in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and add the water and baking soda to a large pot and bring to a simmer.  Divide the dough ball into 4 equal pieces if you want more substantial soup bowls or 8 equal pieces for lunch portion salad bowls.  Dip each ball of dough, individually, into the soda water for 30 seconds, flip and leave in there for an additional 30 seconds before removing.  Place all the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cut an x shape across the tops, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the sea salt.  Bake for 12 - 14 minutes or until the breads are a light golden brown.

Allow to cool before carefully slicing off the tops and scooping out some of the insides.  Fill with your favorite soup or salad.  Makes 4 to 8 servings depending on size.

You can purchase this salt right on their web site here or through Amazon by clicking here.  And no, I'm not getting any commission for it.  But while you're on Amazon, you can check out this link for the stand mixer I wish I owned.  Did I mention that my birthday is next month?



Disclosure:  I was compensated for creating this recipe but my opinions are always my own.  Thank you for supporting the products I love and use.