Thursday, October 2, 2014

Deli Style Rye Bread

This recipe is from the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

Makes four 1 pound loaves. This recipe is easily doubled or halved.

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds, plus more sprinkling on the top
1 cup rye flour
5 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel
Cornstarch wash ** recipe below

1. Mix the yeast, salt, and caraway seeds with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a liided (not airtitght) food container.

2.  Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14 cup capacity food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook).  If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.


3.  Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

4.  The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 14 days.

5.  On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece.  Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter turn as you go. Elongate the ball into an oval-shaped loaf.  Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.  **I don't have a peel, so I used a heavy weight cookie sheet.**

6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450° with a baking stone placed on the middle rack.  **I used a cookie sheet**  Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread. **I used a foil pan---because I can't find my broiler pan! and put it on the bottom shelf**

7.  Using a pastry brush, paint the top crust with cornstarch wash and then sprinkle with additional caraway seeds. Slash with deep parallel cuts across the loaf, using a serrated bread knife.

8.  Slide the loaf directly onto the hot stone.  Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustment in baking time.

9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Cornstarch Wash

Using a fork, blend 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount of water to form a paste.  Add 1/2 cup water and whisk with the fork.  Microwave or boil until mixture appears glassy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high.  It will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks; discard if it has an off smell.

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