Black Bread

A hearty rye loaf similar to the traditional “black bread” baked in the Valle d’Aosta region of northern Italy.  It’s wonderful when served with soups and stews.

Hands on Prep Time: 25 min    Total Time: 4 hours

WHAT YOU NEED:

1-1/4 cups tepid water

1 envelope dry yeast (or 2 tsp.)

1 cup dark rye flour

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. dark molasses

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

3 tsp. salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, approximately**

1 tsp. vegetable oil

MAKING IT:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk yeast into the warm water; let soften for about 5 minutes.  Stir the rye flour into the yeast mixture.  Add melted butter, molasses, brown sugar and salt; stir well.  Stir in remaining all-purpose flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing with wooden spoon until the dough is soft and no longer clings to the bowl. The ball should be soft but not sticky.

Turn the dough ball onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-8 minutes; add flour to surface as needed to keep it from sticking.  Put 1 tsp. oil in bottom a large mixing bowl.  Drop dough into bowl and swirl around in the oil so the dough ball is lightly coated.  Cover bowl with clean towel (or plastic wrap) and let rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in volume (about 1½ hours).

Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface. Knead briefly, adding more flour if needed.  Shape dough into round ball, pinching together the seams underneath the dough ball. Place dough seam side down on rimmed baking pan lined with parchment (or if not using parchment paper, spread a bit of cornmeal in the center of the pan and place the dough ball on the cornmeal).  Cover loaf with towel; return to warm spot and let rise again until double (about 1 hour). 

Preheat oven to 375◦F.  Bake loaf for about 30-35 minutes. It is done when bottom crust is tapped and sounds hollow.   Cool on wire rack.  Makes 1 round loaf

TIPS:

Bob’s Red Mill makes a very nice dark rye flour. If you can’t find dark rye, any type of rye flour will work in this recipe. Or you can substitute whole wheat flour.

New to kneading?  It’s a push-fold-turn motion done repeatedly to bread dough. It’s done on a floured surface to develop the gluten proteins in the flour, giving the loaf a firm, even structure. 

For a lower sodium loaf, reduce salt by half.  Salt is important to the proper rising of the dough, however, so best not to eliminate entirely.