King Arthur Deli Rye (made with medium rye flour).
Most of the sourdough rye bread recipes in Jeffrey Hamelman’s Bread (affiliate link!) have yeast in them (vs relying solely on sourdough for leavening), and so do the recipes on the King Arthur website. I took Jeffrey’s rye bread class so should remember why this is; I think it is to ensure a loaf that is not too dense for sandwiches but still has a nice sourdough bite. Anyway, King Arthur Deli Rye is what you want for your deli sandwich and it was a good excuse to rejuvenate my rye starter. Makes 2 1.5 lb loaves.
Ingredients:
For sourdough sponge:
150 g medium or whole rye flour
120 g water
100 g or so refreshed and lively rye starter*
For final loaf:
850 g bread flour or all-purpose flour
540 g water
Sourdough sponge
2 T caraway seeds
1 T active dry yeast
1 T Kosher salt
Prosciutto and cheese sandwich on deli rye.
Method: combine flour, water and starter for sponge; cover and proof overnight or longer until the sponge is well expanded. Mix with other ingredients in the bowl of a planetary mixer (eg Kitchenaid). Run on first speed for 2 minutes or until ingredients are well combined; run on second speed for 6-8 minutes until the dough develops good gluten strength. Cover and proof 1 hour; it will rise but not quite double in size.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and shape into two loaves of about 1.5 lbs each. Place in bannetons dusted with rice flour to prevent sticking and proof another hour. Meanwhile, heat oven with cast iron dutch ovens inside to 460 degrees.
Sprinkle polenta or cornmeal on the bottom of two dutch ovens (be careful not to burn yourself; multiple potholders are a good idea) and flip the loaves into them (upside down, so they end up with nice ridges from the banneton). Slash the tops with a lame or serrated-edge knife. Cover and bake 20 minutes, then remove lids and lower heat to 440. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until crumb reaches an internal temperature of 206 degrees. Cool for at least an hour before slicing.
*Rye starter is the easiest to make from scratch because rye flour is so full of beasties. Jeffrey Hamelman told us it was the first starter he used and for a long time the only one, even when making white bread. Mix 75 g whole rye flour and 75 g non chlorinated water in a bowl; cover and rest overnight. In the morning, scrape out most of the mixture and repeat with a fresh 75 g flour and 75 g water. Do this for several days until the starter comes to life and begins to show bubbles and puff up. Build up the starter with an even ratio of flour and water and let it proof overnight; take what you need for your recipe and refrigerate the rest in a sealed jar for future use.
