2 ts Dry yeast 1 tb Caraway seed
1/3 c Lukewarm water 1 tb Salt
1 ts Honey 2 1/2 c Whole-wheat flour
1 c Lukewarm water 1/2 c Wheat germ
3 tb Molasses 1 1/2 c Rye flour
1 tb Oil 2 tb Corn meal
1/2 c Mashed potatoes 1 Egg, beaten
1 c *onion starter 1 ts Caraway seeds
Sprinkle yeast over 1/3 cup lukewarm water. Add 1 tsp. honey. Let
dissolve for five minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup
lukewarm water, molasses, oil, mashed potatoes and mix until smooth.
Add yeast mixture, onion starter, caraway seeds and salt. Mix until
well-blended. Add whole-wheat flour, (reserving 1/2 cup for
kneading), and wheat germ, mix well for about 5 minutes. Let dough
rest for 10 minutes. Add rye flour. Knead on a board for about 10
minutes, using 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, until dough is elastic, and
“springy.” Place dough in an oiled bowl, turning it over to coat
surface with oil. Cover, set bowl in hot water and leave to rise in a
warm place for 1 1/2 hours until doubled in bulk. Stir down dough and
divide into two loaves. These can be shaped in rounds and placed on
an oiled cookie sheet which has been sprinkled with corn meal, or
they can be placed in oiled loaf pans. Glaze tops with beaten egg
and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Set to rise in an unheated oven for
approximately one hour. Turn oven to 400 for 20 minutes, then turn
it down to 375 and bake for 30 minutes longer or until bread tests
done. (For a crustier load, put a pan of hot water on oven floor
during the first 20 minutes when oven is at 400.) Cool on rack before
serving.
*To make onion starter, add 1 small, peeled onion–loosely wrapped in
cheesecloth, to fresh batch of basic sourdough starter mixture and
leave to sour at room temperature for at least three days. Before
making old country rye bread, add a second cup of water and a second
cup of flour to the onion starter, leaving it at room temperature
overnight. 2 loaves.
Yields
6 servings