Jewish rye bread

Votes: 3

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Complexity: average
Quantity: 2 small loaves

This version of Jewish rye bread originated in Russia but was popular in Ukraine and Lithuania. It's not as light and fluffy as most commercial loaves, but rather heavy and dense, making it filling. Its best use is in a fried Reuben sandwich, which, in addition to the bread itself, includes corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut, and gravy.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Dry yeast – 1.5 tablespoons
Warm water – 1.5 cups
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Rye flour – 1.5 cups
Rye leaven – 1.5 cups
Salt – 1.5 tbsp.
Cumin – 2.5 tablespoons

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

We recommend

Recipes with similar ingredients: flour, rye flour, caraway

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit until it begins to bubble. Add all the flour, starter, salt, and caraway seeds. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Place the dough on a well-floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes, stretching and folding it. The dough should be somewhat elastic and resist stretching. If it's not elastic enough, add more flour. Continue kneading for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a clean, damp bowl. Use damp hands to smooth the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place. The dough should double in size.
Prepare a baking sheet by sprinkling it with a mixture of corn and rye flour.
Wet a clean work surface with water. Form one half of the dough into a ball, then repeat with the other half. Let the dough rest for no more than 10 minutes; this is optional. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 190 C, place a pan of water on the bottom of the oven.
Place the baking sheet with the dough in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then remove and pierce the loaf with a skewer to create 12 holes. Reduce the temperature to 170°C (350°F) and continue baking for another hour or more. Cooking time will vary depending on the moisture content of the dough. The bread is ready when it springs back easily when pressed with your fingertips.
Remove the bread from the oven, sprinkle with water and let cool. Jewish rye bread Stores well for up to a week, wrapped in plastic wrap.