444298 Mon Sep 24 12:00:42 -0700 2007 3 31 Home Cooking 0 2971082 So, I've got a batch of half-sour pickles happily fermenting in a corner. I would love to eat them with some good rye bread. I'm talking proper, Jewish-style/Eastern European style heavily seeded rye bread, the type you'd get at a bakery like Orwasher's in New York. One cannot obtain such bread in Seattle (or such pickles, for that matter), and I like making things myself. Does anyone have an excellent recipe for this kind of bread? I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm pretty sure the bread uses a sourdough starter, and may be able to obtain one from a friend if it would need more days to ferment than I have; I'm hoping to make bread for a dinner on Wednesday if possible. If not, I'd love the recipe for a later date. By the way, if the half-sours turn out well, I'll post how I did it in another thread. Mon Sep 24 12:00:42 -0700 2007 11377 seattledebs 1 2973433 Here's a link to a recipe for Jewish rye bread that uses a sourdough starter: http://emr.cs.iit.edu/~reingold/ruths-kitchen/recipes/breads/ryebread.html Tue Sep 25 06:22:20 -0700 2007 2971082 126101 Antilope 1 4054167 If any consolation, the great Ryes of NYC are gone, from Zabar's [once New Jersey Certified Bakery] to the LES. (Even knishes seem bland and disappointing.) For a while we were getting a decent Jewish Rye here in Durham NC from Whole Foods, now too light and tasteless. Every now and again, I try my hand at another Rye, and others love them, but nothing satisfies my 1950's Bronx palate. you have to carry the tam, the taste, to understand my heartbreak. Phaedrus sent me this one, a year ago, but have never tried it: Real Jewish Rye Bread Using fresh yeast will cause the bread to rise more quickly. Preheating the baking sheet makes the bread begin to rise immediately upon contact; this results in the bread holding its shape and attaining the highest rise. 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (not rapid-rise) or 1 tablespoon fresh yeast 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 cups warm water (about 100 degrees) 6 cups bread flour, plus additional for the work surface 1 tablespoon barley malt or diastatic malt powder (optional)* 2 teaspoons deli rye flavor (optional) Generous 1/4 teaspoon citric acid (optional) 2 cups rye flour 1/4 cup caraway seeds 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus additional for the bowl About 2 teaspoons cornmeal Place the yeast in a small bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar and 1/4 cup of the water. (If using active dry yeast, increase the temperature of the water to 110 degrees.) Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Set aside in a draft-free place until covered with bubbles, 10 to 20 minutes. (If there are no bubbles, the yeast is too old to be useful.) In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, 3 cups of the bread flour, 2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, the remaining 2 3/4 cups water and the optional malt, deli rye flavor and citric acid, if using. Whisk until very smooth, about 100 strokes; set aside. In a very large bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 cups of the bread flour, the rye flour, the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar, the caraway seeds and salt. Gently scoop the flour mixture onto the reserved yeast mixture to form a blanket. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until the dough has risen considerably, 4 to 5 hours (may refrigerate for as long as overnight). Add the oil to the dough and, using a wooden spoon, mix to combine, adding flour or water as needed to form a soft dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough, adding flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the surface, until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. The dough should jump back when pressed with a fingertip. Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turn to coat with the oil, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours (the dough will rise more slowly in a cold room). Using your fist, punch the dough to deflate it. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough briefly. Form the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, cover and set aside to rise a third time for 45 minutes. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal. To shape the dough, roll it into an 8-inch ball or 2 smaller balls and place the dough on the cornmeal-sprinkled baking sheet. Cover with a large inverted bowl or plastic wrap that has been oiled. Set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, 60 to 75 minutes. A little more than halfway through the final rising, adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Place a second baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 450 F. When the dough has risen, using a sharp knife, slash the top of the loaf twice in 1 direction about 6 inches apart, then slice again with 2 slashes perpendicular to the first set. Carefully slide the dough directly onto the preheated baking sheet and bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 400 F and continue to bake for 50 to 65 minutes (34 to 40 minutes for the 2 small breads), until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool slightly. Baked bread stays warm for 2 hours after baking. * Note: Barley malt, also known as diastatic malt powder, is available locally at many grocery stores or by mail order from King Arthur's Flour. Deli rye flavor and citric acid (or "sour salt") is also available from King Arthur's, and at some grocery stores. In the book of Good Rye, may you be seeded and risen, fm Mon Sep 22 23:35:18 -0700 2008 2971082 123921 fayga mindl 1 4054504 I would also recommend trying the rye bread recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes. I added the King Arthur rye bread flavor according to KA's directions. It might not be exactly what you remember - what ever is? - but we were pretty happy with it. It was good enough that the cleaning person made off with one loaf. And fayga, WF breads haven't been worth a hang, unfortunately, since they went from being Wellspring to WF. If you're interested, I have what is purportedly the Wellspring challah recipe and I intend to try it for yontiff. I clipped it from the N&O many years ago so we'll see if it is like their old challah. Tue Sep 23 06:24:22 -0700 2008 2971082 25244 rockycat