Mimsy Were the Borogoves

Food: Recipes, cookbook reviews, food notes, and restaurant reviews. Unless otherwise noted, I have personally tried each recipe that gets its own page, but not necessarily recipes listed as part of a cookbook review.

Sourdough rye bread

Jerry Stratton, June 15, 1996

Sourdough rye bread, a very thick, heavy bread similar to pumpernickel. It takes a few days to make but has a unique flavor worth the preparation.

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Servings: 20
Preparation Time: 9 hours

Ingredients

  • 1/2 tbsp dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 6 cups warm water
  • 20 cups rye flour
  • 1/2 cup barley malt syrup
  • 1/2 cup brewer’s yeast or soy protein
  • 2 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 cup mixed grains

Steps

  1. Soften the yeast in the water until it bubbles.
  2. Stir in the rye flour
  3. Cover and let rise and fall, without stirring or punching down.
  4. Keep it at room temperature 2-3 days or until it smells sour and has a sticky consistency.
  5. Mix the sourdough with the water and six cups of flour.
  6. Cover and let stand in a warm place for at least three hours. The longer it stands, the sourer the bread.
  7. Scoop out 2 cups and refrigerate for the next baking session.
  8. Blend in the remaining ingredients.
  9. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
  10. Shape into four loaves and place on greased cookie sheets.
  11. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place 3-4 hours. (They’ll only rise another third.)
  12. Bake at 350F for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

This is only a slight variation on Beatrice Trum Hunter’s sourdough rye, which can be found in her Whole-Grain Baking Sampler•. If you bake breads, you want this book.

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