You no longer need to hang around street corners waiting for dubiously sanitary vendors to fill any pretzel yens you may harbor. Thanks to the magic of gluten flour, you can make these blown-up chewy (not crunchy) versions of the familiar hard pretzel. They are a wonderfully satisfying, salty, yeasty, wheaty snack all alone. Or you can serve them with a pea soup or other thick vegetable pottage for an amiable winter one-dish meal. Makes 12.

1 1/2 c. warm water (110 degrees)
1 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. gluten flour
3 c. all-purpose flour, or as needed

WATER BATH:

1 qt. water
3 tbsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. sugar

TOPPING:

1 tbsp. coarse sea salt

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the warm water with the sugar and yeast. Let proof until fluffy, about 10 minutes.

2. Combine the remaining 1 cup warm water, salt, gluten flour, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour in the large bowl of an electric mixer; beat until well blended. Add the yeast mixture and beat on medium-low speed for 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups more flour.

3. Turn the dough onto a floured working surface and knead until very smooth and shiny, adding about 1/2 cup flour or the amount needed, as you knead.

4. Form the dough into a ball and place in an ungreased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour or more.

5. Punch down the dough, cut into 12 equal pieces and cover with a sheet of plastic. Roll each piece to form a long rope about 16 to 18 inches long, with tapered ends. Form each into a pretzel shape as illustrated. Lay each shaped pretzel on a lightly floured board. Let the pretzels rise until not quite doubled, about 30 minutes.

6. While the pretzels are rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

7. Make the water bath. In a 9 inch enameled or stainless steel skillet, combine the water, baking soda and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Slide three pretzels at a time into the bath; keep it at a bare simmer and cook the pretzels for 20 seconds on each side, flipping them gently with a skimmer. Remove them with the skimmer, draining them over the pan and holding a towel underneath as you flip them onto a large parchment-covered baking sheet, with their original topsides up. Sprinkle sparingly with the coarse salt. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.

8. Bake the pretzels in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, or until nicely browned.

9. Cool the pretzels to lukewarm and eat them fresh; or wrap and freeze them after they have cooled completely.