Eastern European Rye

By norsegal8

Brittle crusts, the kind that snap into small, sharp-edged flakes when the bread is cut, are one of the landmarks of a great rye bread - and something you will get from these loaves. The breads are large, studded and topped with fragrant caraway seeds, slashed in the authentic manner, and soft, slightly moist and a little springy inside. They are perfect for a roast beef sandwich with the works or a bubbling hot Rueben.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 cups tepid water (80°F to 90°F)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 scant tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 3 cups medium rye flour
• 2 tablespoons finely ground caraway seeds (grind whole seeds)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds
• 3 1/2 cups high-gluten flour, bread flour or all-purpose flour
• Melted butter, for greasing the bowl

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Brush a large (about 8-quart) bowl with melted butter; set aside.

MIXING AND KNEADING Whisk the yeast into ½ cup of the water. Add a pinch of the sugar and let the mixture rest until the yeast dissolves and is creamy, about 5 minutes.
Pour the remaining 2 ¼ cups water into another large (8-quart) and add the remaining sugar, the salt, shortening and the creamy yeast. Working with a sturdy wooden spoon – and energy – stir in the rye flour and caraway seeds. When the mixture is smooth, start adding the high-gluten flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough is difficult to stir.
When the dough is too hard to stir in the bowl, turn it out onto a work surface dusted with high-gluten flour and knead until smooth and elastic, 10 to 13 minutes. The dough may same a little pasty at first – because of the rye flour – but its texture will change with kneading. While you are working, add only as much additional flour as you need to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface and to your hands.
You can make this dough in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Once the rye flour and the caraway seeds have been added, add 2 ½ to 3 cups of the high-gluten flour. Beat on medium-low for about 3 minutes, gradually adding as much additional flour as needed to make a soft dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the dough for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

FIRST RISE Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the buttered bowl. Cover the bowl with buttered plastic wrap and top with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for about 1 ½ hours, or until it has doubled in volume.

SECOND RISE When the dough is fully risen, deflate it, turn it over, cover as before and let it rise until it doubles in bulk again, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

ROLLING AND SHAPING Deflate the dough, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, and divide it in half. Work with half the dough at a time, keeping the other half covered with a towel or plastic wrap. Lay 2 clean kitchen towels on the counter and sprinkle them with flour; keep close at hand.
With a rolling pin or your hands, work the dough into a rectangle about 7 inches by 10 inches. Starting at the short end farthest from you, roll the dough into a tight roll, pinching and sealing the seams your form with each roll as you go. Stand the roll on end and push your fingers down into the loaf, tucking some of the dough down into the loaf as you burrow your fingers down into it. Then, squeeze the end of the dough to elongate it, pinch it to seal, and fold each corner into the center, creating 2 triangles – it’s like making hospital corners on your bed. Tuck the end under the bread, attaching it to the bottom seam, and repeat the burrowing, squeezing, folding and tucking with the other end of the coil. Rotate and plump the dough to get a nicely shaped, rounded oval. Place the loaf, seam side up, diagonally on one of the floured towels and form a sling by joining the opposite corners of the towel that are farthest from the loaf. Punch a hole in the ends of the towel, slip an S-hook through the hole, and suspend the sling from a cabinet door or doorknob (or tie the ends of the sling together and suspend it). Shape the second piece of dough in the same manner and tuck it into a sling.

REST The dough should rest undisturbed in their slings for about 30 minutes.

THE GLAZE AND TOPPING
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon cold water
Caraway seeds (optional)
Kosher or coarse sea salt (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. If you will be baking the bread on a baking or pizza stone, preheat it too and generously dust a peel with cornmeal; set aside. If they are going on baking sheets, brush or spray one or two large, preferably dark steel, baking sheets with vegetable oil and sprinkle with cornmeal. Also, place a heavy-duty skillet in the bottom of the oven and preheat it as well.
Whisk the egg white and water together and push the mixture through a sieve; reserve.
Release the slings and gently transfer the loaves, smooth side up, to the prepared peel or baking sheet(s), keeping the loaves at least 3 inches apart. Give the loaves a last plumping with your hands and, using a sharp serrated knife or a single-edge razor blade, slash the top of each loaf 3 times: The slashes should run horizontally across the loaf at a slight angle and should be about 1 inch deep. Paint each with loaf with a generous coating of glaze, taking care not to paint the slashes. Sprinkle the loaves with caraway seeds and salt, if desired.

BAKING THE BREAD Put 4 ice cubes into a 1-pint measuring cup and add ¼ cup cold water. Put the loaves into the oven, immediately toss the water and ice into the skillet on the oven floor, and quickly close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more. The internal temperature of the loaves should be 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Turn off the heat and let the loaves remain in the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove the loaves and cool on a rack. The loaves must cool completely before they can be sliced.

STORING The loaves can be kept in plastic bags for 2 days at room temperature; wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to one month. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature.