Dairy-Free, Fall, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Indian, Meal Prep, Rice, Spring, Summer, Tofu, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Tofu Tikka Masala

January 11, 2015 Sam

This is an edited version of an old classic, which for me started as Chicken Tikka Masala, and then turned into Paneer Tikka Masala, and now is a California-adjusted Tofu Tikka Masala.

You can substitute two pounds of fresh tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes, if you wish. It does make the dish more fresh, but crushed tomatoes work well.

This version includes butter and cream, but this could easily be made dairy-free by switching to oil instead of butter and using a non-dairy cream. It shouldn’t affect the taste too much in either case.

Print Recipe

Tofu Tikka Masala

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Indian

Keyword: Tofu

Servings: servings

Calories: 432kcal

Ingredients

Ginger-Garlic-Serrano Paste:

¼ cup garlic cloves whole
¼ cup fresh ginger peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 serrano peppers trimmed, seeds removed
2 tbsp canola oil

Paneer or Tofu

20 oz tofu firm Hodo Soy or extra firm regular
1 tsp canola oil

Sauce

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
½ tbsp salt
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Ginger Garlic Paste

Add garlic cloves, fresh ginger, trimmed and seeded serrano peppers and canola oil in a mini-food processor and process until it is a semi-smooth paste.
¼ cup garlic cloves, ¼ cup fresh ginger, 2 serrano peppers, 2 tbsp canola oil

Tofu

Preheat the oven to 425ºF with a sheet pan on a middle rack. Cube the tofu. Toss with 1 tsp of canola oil and salt and pepper. Once the oven and pan have preheated, add the tofu and bake for 10 minutes. Check and toss and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until tofu looks crispy and baked.
20 oz tofu, 1 tsp canola oil

Sauce

When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add melt the 2 tbsp butter.
2 tbsp butter
Add the Ginger-Garlic-Serrano Paste and saute until lightly browned.
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes.
2 tbsp tomato paste
Add 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.
1 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp paprika
Add the crushed tomatoes and salt. Add about ¼ of water.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, ½ tbsp salt
Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water to keep a thick-soup consistency (i.e. not dry).
If serving with rice, start cooking the rice.
Once the tofu is ready and the sauce is well-cooked, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce, if needed.
Add the tofu. Keep the heat on low for a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
Once it has cooked together, add the ½ cup cream and stir gently. Serve over rice or with naan.
½ cup heavy cream

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tofu Tikka Masala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 432 Calories from Fat 279

% Daily Value*

Fat 31g48%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 49mg16%

Sodium 1259mg55%

Potassium 766mg22%

Carbohydrates 24g8%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 1267IU25%

Vitamin C 28mg34%

Calcium 286mg29%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Low Calorie, Pressure Cooker, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Classic Vegan Chili

January 4, 2015 Sam

This is a classic chili that I have, more or less, been making since at least 2015 and probably for a few years before that. It is one of the first recipes I added to my original incarnation of this recipe website. I’ve made updates and changes over time, but I think this recipe is nearly perfect for a hearty, spicy, flavorful and straightforward vegan chili.

It works well with dry beans cooked before adding to the chili. That said, this is one meal where canned beans aren’t so different that I would strongly recommend against them. You can use canned beans.

This recipe has two default bean types: kidney and black beans. You can also substitute or add pinto beans or other beans that hold their shape in soups / stews.

This is best served with jalapeño cornbread muffins.

Print Recipe

Classic Vegan Chili

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Bean Time2

Total Time3 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Vegan

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 387kcal

Ingredients

Beans

½ lb dry black beans
½ lb dry kidney beans
bean spices kombu, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, peppercorn

Chili

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onions chopped
2 stalks celery small chopped
2 Anaheim peppers chopped
2 jalapeños diced
2 green bell peppers chopped
4 cloves garlic minced or crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo chopped with sauce
1 tbsp dried oregano
½ tbsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp salt estimate, to taste
28 oz crushed tomatoes

Instructions

Beans

First, make the beans. I won't describe any directions here because the hope is that this is a meal you can make when you are already making either black or kidney beans for another meal, and you can just make a bit extra and save them to make chili. Suffice it to say, make the beans.
½ lb dry black beans, ½ lb dry kidney beans, bean spices

Chili

As the beans are cooking (if necessary), prep the remaining ingredients according to the directions above.
Warm a large Dutch oven over medium. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. Then add the chopped onions and celery cook for about 10 minutes until fully softened and starting to get some good color.
2 tbsp olive oil, 2 medium yellow onions, 2 stalks celery
Next, add the three types of fresh peppers and cook until fragrant and softened. Then add the garlic, tomato paste, chipotle peppers in adobo. Also add the oregano, cumin and smoked paprika. Add at least 1 tsp salt. Stir well until everything is well combined and crackling.
2 Anaheim peppers, 2 jalapeños, 2 green bell peppers, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 tbsp dried oregano, ½ tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp salt
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well. Then add the beans. Stir well and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and add more as needed. Continue simmering for up to another hour.
28 oz crushed tomatoes

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Classic Vegan Chili

Amount Per Serving

Calories 387 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1130mg49%

Potassium 1708mg49%

Carbohydrates 67g22%

Fiber 18g75%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 1421IU28%

Vitamin C 58mg70%

Calcium 163mg16%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Holiday, Meat

Twice-Baked Potatoes

December 31, 2014 Sam

This, along with the cast-iron steak, is a New Year’s tradition since at least 2014, when I first published this recipe on my former website. I then updated the recipe in 2020. And finally I made small updates and published on my new site in 2021.

It’s classic for a reason! Indulgent and the leftovers even save pretty well for a day or two.

Print Recipe

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Potatoes

Servings: servings

Ingredients

5 slices bacon
3 baking potatoes
½ cup salted butter
2 tbsp cream cheese
⅓ cup sour cream
chives
thyme
olive oil
4-6 oz cheddar cheese
paprika

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two sheet pans with tinfoil. On one, add the cooling rack and place the bacon on top. Bake the bacon for 18 minutes or longer until it’s crispy. Remove and put on paper towels.
5 slices bacon
While that cooks, clean each potato and then rub thoroughly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour, making sure they're sufficiently cooked through. (When cooked, they will slice easily and cleanly.)
3 baking potatoes, olive oil
Once both are done, turn off the oven for now. Shred the cheddar cheese until you have more than 1 cup. Strip thyme leaves from the stem.
While the potatoes are cooling, in a stand mixer with the flat attachment, add ½ cup of butter, 2 tbsp cream cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Add the thyme leaves.
½ cup salted butter, 2 tbsp cream cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream, 4-6 oz cheddar cheese, thyme
Cut each potato in half, lengthwise. You want to scrape the insides out into the stand mixer bowl, but make sure you leave a small amount around the edge (close to the sink) that will give the potatoes structure. Lay the potato shells on a baking sheet.
By hand with a spoon, gently mix the potatoes and the ingredients until just combined, so you don't develop the starch into a glue-like texture.
Fill the potato shells with the filling, hopefully so that the potatoes are overflowing some. Sprinkle smoked paprika on top. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop 'em in the oven until the potato is warmed through and developing a nice crust, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4-6 oz cheddar cheese, paprika, chives

Basics, Bread and Pasta, Dairy-Free, Favorites, Projects, Weekend Dinner

Classic Semolina Pasta

December 24, 2014 Sam

This classic pasta recipe is just about perfect. One batch is enough for skillet lasagna or about 4 servings, approximately.

Print Recipe

Classic Semolina Pasta

Fresh pasta that can't be beat

Prep Time2 30

Total Time2 30

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Comfort Food, Italian

Keyword: Basics, Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 297kcal

Equipment

Pasta press (e.g., Kitchenaid attachment)
Rotary cutter
Noodle rack

Ingredients

1 cup semolina flour
1 cup bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 large egg
½ tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
½ cup cold water

Instructions

Combine the semolina flour, bread flour, and salt in a large bowl. Using a fork, mix these ingredients together, then using a sifter, sift into another bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, crack the egg and beat well with a fork. Add the olive oil and mix well. Add the cold water and mix well again.
Pour the liquid ingredients into your mixer bowl and attach the flat beater. Add half of the sifted flour mixture, turn to speed 2 and mix 20 seconds. Add the rest of the sifted flour mixture and mix an additional 20 seconds.
Exchange flat beater for the dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, until a dough ball is formed. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides as necessary to get it form a ball. Continue kneading for a few minutes. Good pasta dough should be elastic and pliable, but FIRM (not soft like bread dough). It should not stick to your fingers or fall apart. To test for the correct consistency, pinch a small amount of dough together after kneading for 2 to 3 minutes — if the dough stays together without sticking to your fingers or falling apart, it should work well. If too soft, add more flour by dusting the top of the dough and knead some more, continuing to dust the dough with flour until achieving the right consistency. If too dry, sprinkle the dough with a bit of water (less than 1 tsp at a time) and knead some more.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour (this step is very important).
Remove dough from refrigerator and let it rest for 15 minutes still wrapped. Using your hands, roll dough into a log, about 6-inches long. Cut the log into 6 slices, then flatten each piece slightly. Spread slices out so they aren't touching and cover with plastic wrap. Put out a sprinkling of bread flour that you will use to make sure the exterior of the pasta stays low-friction as it gets compressed by the pasta roller.
Using the widest setting on the pasta press, turn mixer to speed 2 and take one piece of the flattened dough coated in a bit of flour and feed through the rollers. Fold dough in half and roll again. Repeat 3 more times, lightly dusting the sheet of pasta with flour in between each rolling if it feels the slightest bit sticky.
Move adjustment knob to setting 2 and feed the dough sheet through the rollers only once. Continue to increase roller setting until desired dough thickness is reached: 4 for standard egg noodles; 4 or 5 for lasagna noodles, fettuccine, spaghetti, and ravioli; 6 or 7 for tortellini, thin fettuccine, and linguine fini; 7 or 8 for VERY thin "angel-hair" type pasta or a very fine linguine.
Once desired thickness is achieved, place sheets on a flat surface to cut into noodles (if desired) using the rotary cutter. You may need to cut sheets in half if they have grown too long for standard noodle length.
After cutting each sheet, hang to dry on a floured pasta rack. Dry for a minimum of 10 minutes. IMPORTANT: Flour the pasta rack or the plastic hangers before placing pasta on them. ALSO, separate the strips of pasta as best you can, so they aren't touching. This way they won't dry sticking together. If you want to dry the pasta for later use, dry for several hours and then store in airtight containers or bags.
When ready to cook, boil your water and add salt. Fresh pasta will cook faster than commercially bought pasta – about 4 to 5 minutes in vigorously boiling water for al dente.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Classic Semolina Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 297 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 164mg7%

Potassium 127mg4%

Carbohydrates 53g18%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 68IU1%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Indian

Quick Naan

December 24, 2014 Sam

This is my classic recipe for naan that doesn’t require warmed milk, and so it’s much more likely to be possible with what you have on hand.

Print Recipe

Quick Naan

Slightly simpler ingredients and quicker rise

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Rise Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Bread

Servings: pieces

Calories: 244kcal

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
7 g active dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¾ cup water 120° to 130°
¼ cup neutral oil
¼ cup full-fat plain yogurt

Instructions

In a large stand mixer bowl, combine half of the flour and all of the yeast, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add warm water, oil, and yogurt to the flour mixture. Mix using the paddle attachment for 60 seconds or so, until well mixed. Switch to the dough hook and gradually mix in remaining flour to make a smooth dough, add more or less flour as necessary. Knead for up to 5 minutes until the gluten is well-developed.
Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until dough doubles, about 45 minutes.
Punch the dough down, and divide dough in to 8 pieces. Let it rest five minutes covered. Roll out each piece of dough in to a tear drop shape about 8 inches long and less than ¼-inch thick.
Heat a large skillet or suaté pan over medium-high heat. Before placing naan on the pan, spray the naan with a small amount of water and put it wet-side down. Cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and starting to puff. Spray with additional water and flip the naan over and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Once done, you can store in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Quick Naan

Amount Per Serving

Calories 244 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 331mg14%

Potassium 70mg2%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 8IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 17mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dinner Party, Favorites, Indian, Meat, Projects, Weekend Dinner

Chicken Tikka Masala

December 24, 2014 Sam

An oldie by goodie!

Print Recipe

Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Marinating4

Total Time5 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Chicken, Meat

Servings: servings

Calories: 614kcal

Ingredients

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

½ cup cloves garlic whole
½ cup fresh ginger peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
¼ cup canola oil

Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt
3 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Sauce:

2 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
⅓ cup Ginger-Garlic Paste recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)
2 serrano peppers minced (seeds removed if you don’t want it spicy)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp paprika
8 Roma tomatoes diced
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil for chicken
½ cup heavy cream
fresh cilantro minced, for garnish

Instructions

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

Add 1/2 cup cloves garlic, 1/2 cup fresh ginger, and 1/4 cup canola oil in a mini-food processor and process until it is a semi-smooth paste.

Marinade:

In a large tupperware, mix together 1 cup plain yogurt and whisk until it is smooth.
Add 3 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks and poked with a fork. Toss everything to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

Sauce:

The cooking goes fairly quickly, so I like to chop the 2 serrano peppers and 8 Roma tomatoes in advance.
When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tsp olive oil and melt 3 tbsp butter.
Add the remaining 1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste and the chopped serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges.
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes.
Add 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.
Add the tomatoes, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 cup water, more if the tomatoes do not have a lot of liquid.
Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.
Meanwhile, cook the chicken in a separate pan with 2 tbsp olive oil. Shake off some of the excess marinade and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce.
Once the chicken is done and the sauce is cooked down, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce (or put into a blender or food processor and transfer back to the pan) and bring to a boil again.
Add the chicken. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup heavy cream and stir through.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Tikka Masala

Amount Per Serving

Calories 614 Calories from Fat 432

% Daily Value*

Fat 48g74%

Saturated Fat 17g106%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 22g

Cholesterol 137mg46%

Sodium 1766mg77%

Potassium 1056mg30%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 2057IU41%

Vitamin C 31mg38%

Calcium 154mg15%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bread and Pasta, Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Fall, Favorites, Projects, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Spinach Pasta

December 24, 2014 Sam

This is a classic from the archives – nearly seven years old as I update and retype this in 2021. This is homemade gourmet at its best.

This makes two separate servings of two. Refrigerate or freeze the excess pasta and use only half of the “sauce” ingredients per each time you cook it.

Print Recipe

Spinach Pasta

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time15

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Pasta

Servings: servings

Calories: 708kcal

Equipment

Food processor
Pasta rollers

Ingredients

Pasta

10 oz frozen spinach thawed, pressed, and chopped
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tbsp water

2 pints cherry tomatoes halved
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

Make Pasta

To remove moisture from the spinach, microwave it for a about 1 minute and then press as much water out of it as you can in a mesh strainer. Use towels (or paper towels) to further dry it. Once as dry as possible, chop it in a food processor until very fine.
With the flat beater on, combine the spinach and 4 cups flour into the stand mixer bowl and stir them up a bit. Then add the 4 eggs and 1 tbsp water and mix with the flat beater for about 30 seconds until it comes together.
4 cups all-purpose flour, 4 large eggs, 1 tbsp water
Switch to the dough hook and mix on low for about 2 minutes. Remove the dough and knead by hand for a few minutes, adding extra flour to the get the right consistency, which is stiff, but pliable and not sticky at all.
Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. Do not refrigerate or it will be too cold.
Cut the dough ball into eight equal pieces and work on one piece at a time. Use plenty of flour. Start with the widest setting on the roller and put it through a few times, folding it over in half in between passes. At the end your sheet should be the exact width of you pasta roller. If the dough starts to stick at all, dust the sheet of pasta with flour. Then you can work it through the roller until it gets down to your desired thickness (setting 4 is ideal for thick but manageable pasta).
Cut the pasta as desired and hang to dry on a pasta tree.

Storing Extra Noodles

Place nests of pasta in a freezer bag and store until you want to cook them (no more than one month is ideal).

Cooking the Pasta

For fresh or frozen pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it’s boiling, add your pasta. After 3 or 4 minutes all the pasta should be floating and that means it’s done.

For the Basic Sauce

As the pasta is cooking, add 1 pint of halved cherry tomatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet and put it over high heat with 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1 tsp salt. Don’t completely cook down the tomatoes, just heat them up and get the flavors to combine some. Turn the heat to low.
2 pints cherry tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp red pepper flakes
When the pasta is done you can use tongs to pull it out of the water and add it straight to the pan with the tomatoes, allowing a bit of the pasta water to come with the noodles. Stir a bit to cook off the pasta water and serve immediately.

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Spinach Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 708 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 164mg55%

Sodium 742mg32%

Potassium 975mg28%

Carbohydrates 109g36%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 10002IU200%

Vitamin C 58mg70%

Calcium 165mg17%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Bread and Pasta, Favorites, Snack

Soft Pretzels

June 5, 2012 Sam

I have been making these for years and adjusting the recipe for a long time. According to Google Drive, my first version of this recipe is from June 2012, so I’m marking that as the date here, even though I’ve modified it since then.

It’s a classic for a reason – these are fantastic soft pretzels!

Print Recipe

Soft Pretzels

Prep Time1

Cook Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Bread, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, German

Keyword: Bread

Servings: servings

Calories: 209kcal

Ingredients

Pretzel

450 g bread flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
11 g instant yeast
300 g warm water

Water bath

4 cups water
2 tbsp baking soda

Topping

Coarse salt pretzel, flake or kosher salt

Instructions

Measure the dry ingredients into a mixer bowl and mix quickly to combine. Add the 300g warm water while kneading in the stand mixer (add up to 50g more water, or a bit more flour, if needed to form a barely-sticky dough). Knead for around 8 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for 1 hour.
450 g bread flour, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 11 g instant yeast, 300 g warm water
After it has rested, pull a piece of parchment paper the size of the baking sheet. Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and cover with a clean towel. You want the dough to rest for about 5 minutes after each is divided, so do this at a reasonably gentle pace.
Once it has rested after being divided, roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about two feet) and twist each rope into a pretzel. Make sure you connect the legs to the frame well, so it does not come apart later. (They should be fairly thin at this step, as they will continue to plump up.) Set aside and cover as you go, allowing them to rise again for 10 minutes under cover. They can be on a sheet pan, if you'd like, but you will be transferring them off before you bake them, so it should be a second sheet pan if anything.
Preheat the oven to 450ºF. In a deep skillet, heat 4 cups water and 2 tbsp baking soda (or 2 cups, 1 tbsp for a smaller pan) until it is barely simmering. Quickly and very carefully boil each pretzel in the mixture for about 30 seconds, placing the completed pretzels on a baking sheet and sprinkling with a very coarse salt as soon as they come out of the boiling pan.
4 cups water, 2 tbsp baking soda, Coarse salt
Bake the pretzels for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.

Notes

Makes 8 pretzels

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Soft Pretzels

Amount Per Serving

Calories 209 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1410mg61%

Potassium 70mg2%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 1IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.