This week we're headed back to Beach City for some sammich inspiration, where Steven Quartz Universe repeatedly whips up (and is thwarted from eating) one of his favorite foods: bagel sandwiches. Can we upgrade this breakfast favorite with just a little boilin' and bakin'?

Ingredients

For the bagel dough:

• 650 grams bread flour

• 1 tsp active dry yeast

• 350 grams water

• 25 grams granulated sugar

• 25 grams diastatic malt powder

• 10 grams kosher salt

For boiling the bagels:

• 1 ½ gallons water

• 1 Tbsp barley syrup

• 2 tsp baking soda

For “everything” seasoning:

• Dried onion 

• Garlic flakes

• White sesame seeds

• Black sesame seeds

• Poppy seeds

• Caraway seeds

• Flaky Maldon salt

For Fried Egg & Turkey Sandwich:

• 2 slices turkey

• 1 egg

• 2 slices cheese

• Bagel

For Canadian Bacon & Egg Sandwich:

• 1 or 2 pieces canadian bacon

• 1 egg

• 1 slice cheese

• Bagel

For Lox & Cream Cheese Sandwich:

• Smoked scottish salmon

• 1 egg

• Cream cheese

• Bagel

For Babish Breakfast Sandwich:

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1 Tbsp chopped sage

• 1 Tbsp chopped thyme

• Sprinkle ogarlic powder

• Sprinkle onion powder

• Sprinkle red chili flakes (optional)

• Sprinkle chili powder

• Sprinkle smoked paprika 

• Maple syrup or 2 Tbsp brown sugar

• Generous pinch of Kosher salt

• Few twists of freshly ground black pepper

• 1 egg

• 1 slice pepper jack cheese

• Bagel

Method

Bagels

1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer goes 250 grams of bread flour, 1 tsp active dry yeast, and 350 grams (12 ¼ ounces) of water. Combine with a spatula into a paste. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours until it is bubbling. Set bowl in stand mixer with dough hook attachment. In a separate bowl, combine 400 grams bread flour, 25 grams granulated sugar, 25 grams of diastatic malt powder, and 10 grams kosher salt. Mix dry ingredients together. Start stand mixer at a low speed and add in the dry mix, one spoonful at a time, to create bagel dough. Once all dry ingredients have been added, let dough knead for 20 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for 20 minutes. 

2. While the dough is sitting, grease a half size sheet pan, line with parchment paper, and grease top of paper as well. Cut the dough and form into balls that weigh 65 grams. For the balls, tuck the dough underneath themselves, making them smooth and round. Cover with a damp towel in between formations because the dough develops a skin very quickly. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for another 20 minutes. 

3. Remove from fridge and gently make a hole in the middle and stretch out by circling the middle with two fingers. Once all are in bagel form, cover again with plastic wrap, and let sit out for 20 minutes before putting in the fridge overnight for at least 24 hours. 

4. In a large pot, pour in about 1 ½ gallons of water, 1 Tbsp barley syrup, and 2 tsp baking soda. After that has dissolved and the water is at a boil, put in bagels and boil for 60 seconds on each side. Then, flip onto cooling rack smooth side up to drain for about one minute. If you want to add a flavor to your bagels, now is the time to do it (see everything instructions below).

5. Then put the bagels on a lightly greased parchment paper lined baking sheet and put in oven for 15 minutes at 425°F, rotating the tray once at 7 minutes and flipping the bagels once at 13 minutes. 

6. For “everything” seasoning, in a small bowl combine some onion granules, garlic flakes, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, and flaky Maldon salt. Add to desired number of bagels just after boiling and right before baking.

Fried Egg & Turkey Sandwich

1. Cut a Babish-worthy bagel and toast with butter in a frying pan. Fry an egg to your liking. Use a ring mold to cut two slices of turkey and the fried egg around the yolk. Place on bagel (turkey first, then egg, then cheese) to make the symmetrical Steven Universe sandwich. Toast the whole sandwich for no longer than 3 minutes at about 400°F, just enough to melt the cheese. Cut and enjoy!

Canadian Bacon & Egg Sandwich

1. Into a ring mold set in a non-stick pan goes a teensy bit of butter and barely beaten egg. Turn down the heat to low and cover with a heat-safe dish like a ramekin to trap steam and let the egg cook thoroughly. Remove ring mold and flip egg to let both sides get some color. Remove egg patty from heat and place on top of toasted bagel bottom above Canadian bacon. Cut the sandwich in half, take off the top bun, place cheese on top, put top bun back on, then toast. Then a moment of silence for the cross section and cheese pull. Enjoy!

Lox & Cream Cheese Sandwich

1. Refer to second sandwich method to make an egg patty. Place egg patty on bottom of bagel, then slice of salmon (cut with a ring mold), then cream cheese. Top with the other bagel half. Enjoy!

Babish Breakfast Sandwich

1. In a large bowl, combine pork, sage, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili flakes, chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar or syrup, kosher salt, and pepper. Massage with hands until homogenous.

2. Shape into patties and cook, keeping in mind it will shrink whilst cooking.

3. Place meat on bottom half of bagel, then egg patty, then cheese and toast in a 400°F oven for no more than 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Enjoy!