Finnish Farmer Bread Recipe
Ingredients
| Active dry yeast | 1 | |
| Sugar | 1 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Warm water | 1 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Salt | 1 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Salad oil | 2 Teaspoon | |
| Caraway seed | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Rye flour | 1 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), unsifted | |
| 1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted | ||
| Butter/Margarine | 2 Tablespoon, melted | |
Directions
In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water; let stand until bubbly (about 15 minutes).
Stir in salt, oil, arid caraway seed.
Then add 1/2 cup each of the rye flour or meal and all-purpose flour; beat until smooth.
Beat in remaining 1 cup rye flour or meal; then gradually mix in about 1 cup of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic (5 to 20 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Turn dough over in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes; if rye meal is used, allow about 1 hour, 15 minutes).
Punch dough down, knead briefly on a lightly floured board to release air, and divide in half.
Shape each into a smooth ball on a lightly floured board.
Then pat into a circle about 8 or 9 inches in diameter.
Place on a greased rimless baking sheet or on bottom of an inverted rimmed baking pan.
Cover loosely and let rise until almost doubled (about 40 minutes; if rye meal is used, allow about 1 hour, 15 minutes).
Using handle of a long wooden spoon, press straight down through loaves to pan in rows about 1 inch apart.
Brush tops of loaves lightly with part of the melted butter.
Bake in a 375° oven for about 35 minutes or until bread is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped.
To bake both loaves in same oven, arrange pans in different positions on 2 oven racks; for good heat circulation, keep pan edges at least an inch from sides of oven.
About halfway through baking, switch positions of pans.
Remove bread from oven; brush tops of loaves with remaining melted butter.
Cool slightly on racks.
Stir in salt, oil, arid caraway seed.
Then add 1/2 cup each of the rye flour or meal and all-purpose flour; beat until smooth.
Beat in remaining 1 cup rye flour or meal; then gradually mix in about 1 cup of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic (5 to 20 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Turn dough over in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes; if rye meal is used, allow about 1 hour, 15 minutes).
Punch dough down, knead briefly on a lightly floured board to release air, and divide in half.
Shape each into a smooth ball on a lightly floured board.
Then pat into a circle about 8 or 9 inches in diameter.
Place on a greased rimless baking sheet or on bottom of an inverted rimmed baking pan.
Cover loosely and let rise until almost doubled (about 40 minutes; if rye meal is used, allow about 1 hour, 15 minutes).
Using handle of a long wooden spoon, press straight down through loaves to pan in rows about 1 inch apart.
Brush tops of loaves lightly with part of the melted butter.
Bake in a 375° oven for about 35 minutes or until bread is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped.
To bake both loaves in same oven, arrange pans in different positions on 2 oven racks; for good heat circulation, keep pan edges at least an inch from sides of oven.
About halfway through baking, switch positions of pans.
Remove bread from oven; brush tops of loaves with remaining melted butter.
Cool slightly on racks.
Chef
