Sundays with Marlena Spieler-Rye Sourdough Bread

My husband makes the bread in our family. He has struggled with some of the recipes for bread in this book, as it was published with the wrong info in the baking section..at least this one sure was Not Marlena's fault, of course. So we continue to cook our way thru Jewish Cooking!

His version of New York Seeded Corn Rye Sourdough Bread is as follows: makes 2 loaves

4-5 cups of flour..depending on how sticky the dough is. Use some for flouring the board and the peel.
A small package of dry yeast
1 cup of lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp of caraway seeds
1 TBLS Salt
1/4 corn meal..for sprinkling (Dave is leaving this step out next time...kitchen gets smokey)

For the sourdough starter:

2 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour
1 small package rapid rise yeast
1 cup warmish water

For the sponge:

1 3/4 cups rye flour
1 cup lukewarm water

To make the starter, put flour into a large bowl and stir in yeast then make a well in the center. Stir in the water and mix. Cover tightly and leave at room temp for two days or in fridge for up to a week.

For the sponge, put the rye flour into another large bowl, mix in the sourdough starter and water. Cover tightly and keep at room temp for 8 hours or in fridge for up to 2 days.

Put the flour into a large bowl and add the sponge, yeast, water, seeds, salt, and mix to a soft yet somewhat sticky dough., Turn the dough into a large, clean bowl, sprinkle with flour, clover with clean towel and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size...about 2 hours.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and punch down..then knead for 3 or four minutes. this is a workout! It looks like one anyway. Divide the dough in half and then shape each loaf into a round. Sprinkle two baking sheets with cornmeal. {I suggest flour or maybe lightly spray with Pam or something like that} Place the loaves on top and score with a sharp knife (see photo). Cover the loaves and leave in warm place for about 45 minutes or they double in size.

Preheat oven to 425. Fill a roasting pan with boiling water and put on top rack. My husband bought heat resistant tiles to put in the bottom of the oven..but that was his way to make it more like a bread oven. Marlena says to put the water in the bottom of the oven though. Carefully transfer loaves onto flour-dusted peel and then onto baking sheets. Bake for about 35 minutes until lightly browned and you hear a hollow sound when tapped. The outside will be crunchy. Yum. Perfect for a reuben..or any kind of sandwich! Maybe just warm with butter?

Thanks Dave!!

Be sure to check out Shankari's blog and Eileens blog...although I think Eileen is taking a holiday break from posting. Hell, I am a day late...and yes, a dollar short.