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slice
serrated knife, through the equator, cut sides up on a sheet pan
bagels, split horizontally into even halves and arranged cut side up in a single layer. Even halves matter more than they sound: a thick half and a thin half on the same tray reach the broiler at different moments, and there is no adjusting once the cheese is on. Leave space between them so hot air can reach the sides, and use a bare pan or parchment rather than foil pressed flat against the bottoms, which traps steam