Sourdough Rye

Step 1
The night before you want to bake the bread, feed your active sourdough starter with 1 cup rye flour, 1/2 cup bread flour, and 2/3 cup water. Mix until fully combined, cover, and let stand at room temperature overnight.

Step 2
The next morning, mix together the expanded starter and 1/4 cup water. Stir in 1 cup rye flour, 1 cup bread flour, salt, sugar, olive oil, and caraway seeds.

Step 3
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until satiny. Place in a well-oiled bowl, and turn once to oil the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow it to rise in a warm spot until doubled.

Step 4
Punch down dough, and shape into loaves. Place on a greased baking sheet or in greased loaf pans. Allow them to rise until doubled in bulk.

Step 5
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 6
Score the tops of the loaves with a serrated knife. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust turns a deep brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 40 minutes.

Step 7
Alternate baking method for chewier, salty crust: Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Remove loaves from the oven and brush crust with salt water. Continue baking for 25 minutes more, brushing at 10-minute intervals.