New York Deli Rye

My wife used my starter to make an absolutely fabulous rye bread from The Bread Baker's Apprentice. This is the tastiest rye bread either of us have ever had. It has a little bit of onion baked right into the bread.

New York Deli Rye

Makes one big loaf

Rye Starter

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) starter
1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) rye flour
1/4 cup (2 ounces) water
1 onion, diced and sauteed in a little oil

Final Dough

1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) bread flour
1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) rye flour
1 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t instant yeast
1 t caraway seeds
1 t melted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
about 1/4 cup water

1) Make starter a day ahead. Mix all of the ingredients in the rye starter, stir and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temp until it bubbles, 3 to 4 hours. Refrigerate overnight.
2) Remove starter from fridge 1 hour before use.
3) To make the dough, dump everything together in the mixer. Add only as much water as needed so that it forms a soft, not sticky dough. Let rest for 5 minutes.
4) Mix on medium low speed with the dough hook. Add in flour as needed to make a firm, slightly tachy dough. Do this in less than 5 minutes so that the dough does not get gummy.
5) Place dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it doubles in size.
6) Shape dough into a loaf and place in an oiled dough pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until dough is about an inch above the lip of the pan.
7) Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle.
8) To bake place loaf pan in the middle of a cookie sheet and then place in oven on middle rack. Bake 20 minutes, turn 180 degrees and bake 15 to 20 more minutes. The loaf should be nice and golden brown and measure 185 to 195 degrees in the center.
9) Cool for at least an hour before slicing.

We made it into Reuben sandwiches with homemade Russian dressing. Our little one requested that Mr. Duck pose with the sandwich.