OK, there are just some breads that I can hardly wait for you to try. And this is one of them. Why, you ask? Because this has got to be my new favorite sandwich bread. And I know, I say that about all the sandwich breads I bake. And it’s true each time I say it. I just happen to be the world’s most devoted fan of homemade bread. And when the bread is as easy to prepare as this one, why the heck wouldn’t I be excited to share the recipe with you? (That was a rhetorical question, BTW!)

So, if there was just one word to describe this bread, it would be OMG! OK, that’s three words, but I am not kidding when I say I could eat a piece of this bread every day for the rest of my life. This bread is JUST THAT GOOD! (Oh, and the crumb is soft and tender, and it makes really yummy toast when liberally spread with room temperature unsalted butter. But then, what doesn’t taste good slathered with butter? But I digress….)

Anyway, this recipe started from a post I read on the bakefromscratch.com site. I messed with the original recipe for Rye Sandwich Bread a bit (actually a whole hell of a lot) and came up with this variation. But it started with bakefromscratch.com. So a big thank you to those fine folks for the inspiration for this recipe.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Sure it’s easy for you Patti, because you’re crazy enough to bake bread at least once a week. OK, that’s true. I do bake bread often, and I am certifiably crazy, so you win that round. But, I have never lied to you when I state that a “whatever”, be it bread, cookies, marinara sauce, etc. is easy to prepare. And this bread is definitely easy to prepare. And absolutely worth every second put into its production. So much so, that if I were younger (much younger), I would mass produce this bread, which I’m positive would allow us to live part of each year in our very own Italian villa. This bread is JUST THAT GOOD! (Dang, I hate it when I repeat myself! But I simply must in this case! Plus I’m getting older. And repeating one’s self is part of the aging process. Simply goes with the territory!) So dear readers, I have nothing much more to say on the subject.

If you love rye bread, and you bake bread, just bake a loaf and taste for yourself what a truly delightful rye sandwich bread can taste like. IT IS JUST THAT GOOD! As always, peace and love to all.

Oh, and please don’t leave out the caraway and dill seeds. They are in the recipe for a reason. I promise their flavor is in no way overpowering. They simply make all the difference to the overall taste of the bread.

½ c. sourdough starter discard

1½ tsp. active dry yeast

¾ c. slightly warm whole milk

2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ c. regular molasses (not blackstrap)

2 tsp. kosher salt

1¼ tsp. caraway seeds, plus more for sprinkling

1¼ tsp. dill seeds

¾ c. light rye flour

1¾ – 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

vegetable oil

1 egg

1 T. water

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the sourdough starter, yeast, milk, butter, molasses, salt, caraway seeds, dill seeds, and rye flour. Let sit for 20 minutes to let the yeast develop and the rye flour absorb some of the liquid and begin to soften a bit.

Add about a cup and a half of the unbleached all-purpose flour and knead for about 8 minutes or until the dough is smooth and only a bit is clinging to the bottom of the mixing bowl. Add additional flour as needed. (Please note: every sourdough starter is unique. Some contain more liquid than others. So each baker must decide how much flour to add. Sorry folks, I would give you a precise amount if I could.)  

Pour a bit of veggie oil alongside the dough. Using your hands, roll the dough into a ball, making sure the entire ball of dough is lightly coated with oil.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours. (Mine took an hour and a half.)

Deflate the dough to remove excess air. Form the dough into a loaf shape, and place in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. (I simply tuck the dough under to form a loose rectangular shape and then flatten it into the pan with my hands.)

Cover and let rise until it’s about ½-inch above the top of the pan. Mine took 1 hour. (After 45 minutes I realized I should probably start pre-heating my oven. I’m glad I did. Because by the time my oven was hot, the dough was just where it should be. Whew – lucked out again.)  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and the 1 tablespoon of water together. Just before the loaf is ready to go in the oven, gently brush the egg/water mixture over the top of the loaf. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, if desired. Using a sharp knife or lame, carefully and lightly make 4 diagonal slashes across the top of the loaf. Bake the loaf until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf registers at least 190 degrees. This takes about 30 to 35 minutes. (My bread only took 30 minutes.)

Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container on your counter.