Bagels are “fully formed” before you boil or steam them. This paste takes a portion of the water and flour that would be used to make the dough. Then you make

Bagels are “fully formed” before you boil or steam them. This paste takes a portion of the water and flour that would be used to make the dough. Then you make the rest of the dough and add the paste back in. I don’t know if there are similar reactions though. But the process is different.