Ukrainian Sour Rye Bread

UKRAINIAN SOUR RYE BREAD

4 Cups unbleached bread flour               
4 cups rye flour
2 tsp salt                              
1 tbls ground caraway seeds
2 tsp instant yeast                         
2 tbls butter, softened
2 ½ cups warm water
Rye starter
1 tbls whole caraway seeds     

Starter:
4 tbls whole rye flour                    
3 tbls warm milk

Make the starter: Mix the rye flour and milk in a small non-reactive bowl that has been warmed with boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap. Punch a few hles with a fork sot let gasses escape. Set in a warm, draft-free location for three to four days, until bubbly and smells pleasantly sour and yeasty.

Mix the flours, salt, ground caraway seeds and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle, and the machine on low, add the butter, water, and rye starter. Mix well. Switch to the dough hook and knead five minutes.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat all surfaces. Cover with plastic film or a dish towel and put in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper and sprinkle with corn meal or semolina. Preheat oven to 400F.

Remove dough from bowl. Knead for one minute. Divide in half. Shape each half into a ball, transfer to baking sheet, and cover with oiled plastic film. Set in a warm, draft-free location to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Spray or brush loaves with water and sprinkle caraway seeds evenly. Bake 25 minutes, turning trays about halfway through the baking.

Let cool on wire racks.

I don't know how necessary it would be, Ron. But I've never had a sour rye, of any kind, made without it.

You don't have to sprinkle with the whole seeds, though. The original recipe called for dusting with additional rye flour. I used the whole seeds cuz that's how I remember sour rye from my youth.

Other than that you're right: it's a simple, easy to put together recipe. Just so long as you remember to put up the starter.

Should just make it, Ron. Figuring 4.5 oz per cup (actually a bit heavier because it's whole grain) gives you 18 oz for the dough, and enough left for the starter.

Even if it goes 5 oz/cup you should be in good shape.

Worst case scenario, just stretch it as far as it goes and use additional bread flour to make up the total.

Given your circumstances, I would just skip the caraway altogether. It won't be quite the same, but Melissa will eat it.

Alternatively, after making the dough, and before the first rising, divide it in half and mix ground caraway into just one half. Then proceed as normal. You'll wind up with a plain loaf and a caraway infused loaf, and can compare them both.