Directions: |
Directions:Mix the yeast, salt & caraway seeds with the lukewarm water in a large bowl.
Using a spoon or heavy-duty stand mixer (with a dough hook), mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading. Cover (not airtight) & allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises & collapses or flattens on top, approximately 2 hours.
The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a container with lid (not airtight) & use over the next 14 days.
When you want to bake, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour. To make a one-pound loaf, cut off half of the dough.
Dust the piece of dough with more flour. 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 the loaf to rest & rise on a cornmeal-covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.
Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450 & place a baking stone on the middle rack.
Using a pastry brush, paint the top of the loaf with a cornstarch wash (see below) & then sprinkle with additional caraway seeds. Using a serrated bread knife, slash with deep parallel cuts across the loaf.
Slide the loaf directly onto the hot baking stone. On the rack below the stone, place an empty broiler pan which has about 1½ cups of hot tap water in it.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or till it’s deeply browned & firm. (Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking times.)
Allow the bread to cool before slicing.
*Cornstarch wash: Using a fork, blend ½ tsp cornstarch with a small amount of water to make a paste. Add ½ cup water & whisk with a fork. Microwave or boil till the mixture appears glossy, about 30 to 60 seconds on high. Discard what you don’t use. |
This recipe for Rye Bread is from