Sourdough Potato-Rye Bread
Submitted by rwallington
Two-day sourdough potato rye bread with molasses, cornmeal, mace, and poppy seeds. A dense, earthy loaf with an overnight starter and old-world European baking technique.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
2 daysCOOK
60 minREADY
2 daysThis is a bread project, not a bread shortcut. And it’s worth every minute.
Day one builds a sponge from sourdough starter, molasses, potato water, and whole wheat flour. It ferments overnight, developing the deep, sour complexity that gives this bread its soul.
Day two brings in the muscle: riced potatoes, cornmeal cooked in beef broth, rye meal, rye flour, and warm spices like mace and nutmeg. The result is a dense, dark loaf with a chewy crumb and a crust that shatters when you slice it.
The poppy seed topping and egg white wash give each loaf a bakery-quality sheen, and a quick flash under the broiler at the end takes the crust from golden to deeply burnished.
Kitchen Tips
- Rice the potatoes (push through a ricer or fine sieve) for a smooth, lump-free crumb. Mashed potatoes with chunks will create dense pockets in the bread.
- Potato water is the starchy liquid left from boiling potatoes. Save it instead of pouring it down the drain. It feeds the yeast and adds moisture.
- This dough will be sticky and heavy. That’s normal for rye. Lightly oil your hands and the board after 5 minutes of kneading if it won’t cooperate.
- The broiler step is optional but spectacular. Watch it like a hawk because the poppy seeds can scorch in seconds.
- Slash the loaves with a razor blade, not a knife. Clean, shallow cuts open up beautifully in the oven.
Ingredients
Directions
DAY ONE: In large warmed bowl, combine starter, molasses, potato water and whole-wheat flour.
Stir well, cover with plastic and a heavy towel and let rise in warm place overnight or at least 12 hrs.
DAY TWO: Bring broth to boil, andd cornmeal and, stirring constantly, cook 2 mins.
Remove from heat, stir in potatoes and cool to lukwarm; add to starter mixture.
Sprinkle yeast over lukewarm water, stir to dissolve an dlet stand until foamy.
Add to starter mixture with salt, butter and spices.
Beating constantly, add rye meal, rye flour and white flour.
Dough will be sticky and heavy.
Turn out onto floured board and, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking, knead 8 mins.
If dough is still sticky after 5 minutes lightly oil board and hands and finish kneading.
Dough will be slightly sticky to hands but should not stick to board.
Form into smooth ball, place in oiled bowl, turn to coat all surfaces, cover wtih towel and let rise in warm place 1 hr or until double in bulk.
Punch down and turn out onto floured board; knead for 20 turns.
Cover with towel and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Divide into 2 equal portions and form each into a long loaf.
Place side by side on large greased baking sheet.
With sharp razor, cut 3 slashes from end to end ½ in deep.
Brush evenly with egg white wash, being carful not to spill onto baking sheet, and sprinkle generously with poppy seeds.
Let rise, uncovered, in warm place 45 minutes or until almost double in size.
Bake in oven preheated to 400 20 minutes reduce heat to 375 and bake 30 minutes longer or until bread tests done.
to give top a shiny dark look, place under broiler and, being carful of scorching, broil until dark.
Transfer to wire rack and cool.
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