Instructions: Dissolve yeast. Place 4 cups flour and 3 tsp salt in bowl. Add yeast and water and the rest of the flour. Knead 10-12 minutes. Let rise 2 hours.

Punch down, knead another 7 minutes, and let rise another hour. Cook onions over very low heat for about 20 minutes - "sweat them". Or - microwave them for about 5 minutes. Add poppy seeds and remaining 1 tsp salt.

Divide dough into 16 pieces, shaping them into balls. Let sit and relax for 1 hour in warm place covered with sprayed saran wraps they dont dry out. Preheat oven 450. Flatter balls, dust with flour over the round.

Place thumb and forefinger in center and make depression - NOT a hole.

Place 1 tbsp onion-poppy seed mix in center of each bialy. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes. When cool, fill center with cream cheese, if you wish.)

NOTES : Possibly Paulas bagel with cream cheese in the center was a bialy. A bialy is a New York type roll like a bagel but flattened in the middle. Usually onions are placed there, but why not cream cheese? Try it and find out - they are good!

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