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1
Make the starter a day ahead.
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2
Mix together the barm, rye flour, and water in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside.
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3
Very lightly saute the onions in the oil over medium heat just until they sweat.
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4
Transfer them out of the pan into a bowl and let them cool until they are warm, not hot.
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5
Stir them into the starter, re-cover with plastic wrap, and ferment at room temperature until it bubbles and foams, 3 to 4 hours.
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6
Refrigerate overnight.
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7
The next day, remove the starter from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill.
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8
To make the dough, stir together the flours, brown sugar, salt, yeast, and caraway seeds in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).
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9
Add the starter, shortening, and buttermilk.
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10
Stir with a large metal spoon until the mixture forms a ball (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment), adding in only as much water as it takes to bring everything together into a soft, not sticky mass.
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11
Let this sit for 5 minutes so the gluten can begin to develop.
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12
Sprinkle high-gluten or bread flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading the dough (or mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook).
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13
Add in flour as needed to make a firm, slightly tacky dough.
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14
Try to complete the kneading in 6 minutes (4 to 5 minutes by machine) to prevent the dough from getting gummy.
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15
The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58) and register 77 to 81F.
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16
Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.
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17
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
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18
Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
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19
Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 2 or 3 equal pieces (they will weigh about 30 ounces for larger loaves and 20 ounces for smaller loaves).
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20
Shape them into sandwich loaves (page 81) or batards for free-standing loaves (page 73).
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21
If you are baking them in loaf pans, lightly oil the pans (8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch pans for small loaves; 9 by 5-inch pans for larger loaves).
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22
If you are baking them freestanding, line 1 or 2 sheet pans with baking parchment and dust with semolina flour or cornmeal.
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23
Transfer the shaped dough to the pans and mist the tops with spray oil.
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24
Proof at room temperature for approximately 90 minutes, or until they have grown 1 1/2 times in size.
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25
The dough in the loaf pan should dome about 1 inch above the lip of the pans.
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26
Preheat the oven to 350F for loaf-pan breads, 400F for freestanding loaves with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
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27
Brush freestanding loaves with the egg wash. You can score them, but this is optional.
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28
The egg wash is optional for loaf-pan breads.
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29
Place the loaf pans on a sheet pan before putting them into the oven (this protects the bottoms).
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30
Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, rotate the pans 180 degrees for even baking, and continue to bake for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the size and shape.
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31
The internal temperature should register 185 to 195F at the center.
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32
The loaves should be golden brown all over and make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.
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33
Remove the loaves from the pans and transfer to a rack to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.
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34
Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; mixed leavening method
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35
Day 1: 3 to 4 hours rye sponge starter
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36
Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill starter; 6 minutes mixing; 4 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 50 to 60 minutes baking
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37
The best rye breads are made with a mix of wild-yeast starter and commercial yeast.
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38
This is what makes them so flavorful.
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39
The addition of onions is optional; the bread is excellent with or without them, but I think the onions are integral to that true deli taste of memory.
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40
Some people have never had rye bread without caraway seeds and as a result think that rye tastes like caraway.
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41
The caraway seeds are also optional here, and I suggest making this bread with and without them to determine which you prefer.
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42
Buttermilk tastes better than milk in this bread, but if you dont have any on hand, feel free to substitute whole or low-fat milk.
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43
You can make these into what is called deli corn rye by proceeding as written and then misting the shaped loaves with water and rolling the tops (or the entire loaf) in medium-grind cornmeal.
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44
This gives the loaves a great corn crunch!
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45
New York Deli Rye %
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46
(RYE SPONGE STARTER)
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47
Barm: 156%
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48
White rye flour: 100%
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49
Water: 88.9%
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50
Onions: 267%
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51
Vegetable oil: 22.2%
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52
Total: 634.1%
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53
(FINAL DOUGH)
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54
Rye sponge starter: 139%
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55
High-gluten flour: 78%
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56
White rye flour: 22%
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57
Brown sugar: 4.9%
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58
Salt: 2.7%
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59
Instant yeast: 1.1%
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60
Caraway seeds: 1.1%
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61
Shortening: 4.9%
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62
Buttermilk: 39%
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63
Water (approx.
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64
): 14.6%
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65
Total: 307.3%
