Preparation:
1. Mix first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, cover loosely and allow to stand in a warm place. Mixture will ferment and bubble. 2. When you are ready to bake the bread, combine the rye flour, boiling water, molasses, butter and salt in a large bowl. When the mixture has cooled to barely warm, stir in sourdough mixture with a wooden spoon. THen stir in as much unbleached white flour as you need to make a dough you can handle. 3. Turn it out onto a floured board and work into a ball. Cover the ball with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes, then knead until smooth and elastic. 4. Place the kneaded dough into a large greased bowl and allow to rise until doubled in bulk - about 2 to 3 hours. Punch down and either allow to rise again, for finest texture, or form at once into 3 round loaves. 5. Put the loaves on a cookie sheet that you have sprinkled heavily with cornmeal. Allow the loaves to rise until doubled in bulk. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 50 to 60 minutes. For a more chewy crust, brush the loaves with cold water before putting them in the oven. |
