~ My Buttery Parm, Pepper & Parsley Bagel Chips ~

I love bagels.  I particularly love egg bagels.  Call me Mrs. Egg Bagel.  I buy six of them each week at our local Wegman's bakery, because I deem their bagels to be the best.  I grew up eating really high-quality New York-style bagels from a bakery in New Jersey, so, I know a good bagel from a bad bagel (and there are bad bagels in the world).  I try to limit myself to one-half of one egg bagel each morning for breakfast, but, I must confess to sliding down the slippery slope and eating the remaining half (the entire bagel) at least once a week.  On Sunday mornings, I almost always make my ~ Egg Bagel, Sausage & Scrambled Egg Sandwiches ~ for Joe and I. We each eat one for brunch and that's pretty much our meal for the entire day.  You can get the recipe for those by clicking into Categories, 9, 17 or 25, or, on the Related Article link below!

Got leftover or stale bagels?  Make bagel chips!

In the event I have a couple of leftover bagels, I often take a few minutes to make bagel chips. They are a flavor-packed snack just as they are, they make almost any kind of cheese or cheese dip taste better, and, they are the perfect foil for my smoked salmon spread.  Bagel chips are really easy to make, and any flavor of bagel can be used, even sweet varieties like cinnamon-raisin, but, the bagels really do have to be a 2-3 days old, meaning: a bit dried out.  When I'm making bagel chips for a party, I stash a bag of them in my refrigerator for a few days!

"Four" is my rule and I'm sticking to it!

I slice my bagels lengthwise into four equal discs, with each disc being slightly more than 1/4" thick.  If you can get five even slices out of a bagel, that's great, but I find that when I'm trying for five, I end up with a few ragged, unusable pieces, so, I don't try for five anymore.  Plus, if the discs are too thin, they tend to burn rather than brown.  Four is my rule and I'm sticking to it!

After that, any way you slice it, everybody loves a bagel chip!

Once you slice your bagel into four discs, you have a decision to make, you can use the discs as they are, or, slice the discs in half, quarters or sixths.  Personally, I like quarters.  They really are the quentessential "chip" and they're the perfect size for snacking, dipping or dolloping!

It's time to make the topping & bake the bagel chips!

This topping is perfect for any kind of bagel except for sweet varieties like cinnamon-raisin (those require a sweet topping and a different blog post).  I'm putting it on an egg bagel today, but, it's just as awesome on flavored bagels like garlic, onion or pumpernickel too!  What about seeded bagels, like sesame or poppyseed?  Yes, but watch them carefully because seeds burn!

No matter how you've sliced your bagel, for each bagel you slice you will need:

1/2  stick salted butter, at room temperature, very soft

1/4  teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4  teaspoon garlic powder

1/2  teaspoon parsley flakes

finely- and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for sprinkling over bagel chips

~ Step 1.  In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, thoroughly combine the butter, black pepper, garlic powder and parsley flakes.  Set aside.

~ Step 2. Using an ordinary butter knife, slather the top of each bagel piece with the butter mixture, placing them on a rack in a baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, as you work.  Using a microplane grater finely grate a coating of cheese over the top of all.

~ Step 3.  Bake on center rack of preheated 350 degree oven, 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, in pan, 45-60 minutes. Bagel chips will continue to crisp up as they cool.  It's tempting I know, but these are really best if allowed to cool for several hours or overnight (uncovered). 

 

My Buttery Parm, Pepper & Parsley Bagel Chips:  Recipe yields instructions to make as many bagel chips as you want to make!

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; rubber spatula or wooden spoon; baking pan; cooling rack; parchment paper or aluminum foil; microplane grater

Cook's Note:  No recipe for bagel chips should go without a recipe for a dip or spread, and, I can't think of anything better than my recipe for ~ Pretty in Pink:  A Simple Smoked Salmon Spread ~ to go with this one.  You can find it by clicking in Categories 1, 2, 9, 14 or 20 (or Related Article link below)!

Even a slice of a port wine cheese ball would go great on these bagel chips  too.  My recipe is in Categories 1, 11 or 20!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2013) 

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~ Pretty in Pink: A Simple Smoked Salmon Spread ~

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~ Easy Toaster-Oven Parm 'n Pepper Texas Toast ~