Polish Sourdough Rye Bread

A simple rye sponge you make the night before begins the process that transforms flour, buttermilk and caraway seeds into a tangy, hearty bread. The recipe makes three loaves, so you will have plenty to share right away or freeze for later.

• Calories: 156 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 cups water
• 8 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 4 cups rye flour

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

The night before making the bread, in a medium sized mixing bowl, dissolve one packet of yeast and the sugar in 2 cups of water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rye flour until the mixture is smooth. Cover and let stand overnight.

Step 3

The next day, dissolve the remaining package of yeast in the buttermilk. Add the rye flour mixture, the baking soda, the salt, 4 cups of the bread flour and stir to combine. Add the remaining 4 cups of bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition (you may not need to add all of the flour). When the dough has become a smooth and coherent mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the caraway seeds on the dough and knead them in until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 4

Lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the volume has doubled.

Step 5

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces. Form each piece into a loaf and place in 3 lightly greased 9x5 inch bread pans. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour.

Step 6

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 35 minutes or until the bottom of the loaves sound hollow when tapped.