Ukrainian - Selianyn Khlib (Ukrainian Rustic Village Bread)

[Olga Drozd]

Ukrainian - Selianyn Khlib (Ukrainian Rustic Village Bread)

This recipe starts with a starter you keep overnight.  To bake the bread you must stack 2 baking sheets together for insulating the top sheet which ensures even baking and from burning the bottom of the bread since it requires a high heat. This is a lovely simple rustic chewy bread with a crisp crust. STARTER: 1 cup lukewarm water (I used bottled spring water) 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Small pinch citric acid or ascorbic acid (optional) 1/2 teaspoon Rapid-Rise instant yeast or bread machine yeast 1 1/4 cups bread flour 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour 2 Tablespoons rye flour DOUGH: The starter above 1 cup lukewarm water (I used bottled spring water) 3/4 teaspoon Rapid-Rise instant yeast 2 teaspoons salt 1 Tablespoon white granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar About 4 cups bread flour - divided (I used 3 1/2 cups bread flour total)

For the starter, in a medium size bowl, whisk the water and yeast together with the sugar, ground ginger and citric acid if using and let stand for 3 minutes to dissolve the yeast.  Stir in the whole wheat, the rye, and the bread flours until well mixed.  Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight.

The next day at your leisure, stir down the sponge to deflate it.  In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1 cup warm water with the 3/4 teaspoon instant yeast and whisk briefly.  Add the starter and hand whisk for a minute or two to combine the ingredients.  Stir in sugar, brown sugar and 1 cup of the flour and whisk until blended.  Add the 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 more cups of the bread flour.  Mix to make a soft dough.  Let dough rest for 15 minutes.  Knead with the dough hook on the lowest speed of the mixer for 8 to 10 minutes, gradually adding more bread flour as required to form a soft pliable springy dough.

If you don't have a dough hook you can mix by hand on a floured wooden board adding flour as required and throwing the dough down about 20 times on the board kneading until it is smooth and elastic about 10 to 15 minutes.  Don't make the dough too stiff by adding too much flour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and form into a ball.  Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Turn dough grease side up and cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.

Stack 2 baking sheets together and line the top one with parchment paper.

Gently deflate the dough.  Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball, tucking the bottommost parts of the dough in and underneath toward the center of the ball to increase surface tension. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheets seam side down.  Lightly spray dough with nonstick cooking spray and lightly cover dough with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise for about 1 to 2 hours or until almost doubled in size. ( I like to place my dough on the sheet to rise in the oven with the pilot light on and the door half way closed. Remove sheet when you are ready to bake).

Preheat the oven to 475º F.  Place oven rack on the lower shelf.

Slash the top of the loaf across the middle with a sharp knife.  Using a spray bottle filled with water mist the top of the loaf, then dust it lightly with flour.  Place the loaf in the preheated oven and spray the oven walls with water, avoid spraying the oven light. Bake for 15 minutes, misting the loaf and the walls of the oven every 5 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 425º F. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes longer without misting, or until the loaf is well browned (see Note). Let bread cool on a wire rack.  After bread is cut, lightly wrap bread in a clean towel.

Note: If you have an instant read thermometer, you can tell more precisely when your loaf is done.  Insert the thermometer into the center of the loaf; the bread is done if the internal temperature is 200°F.  Some breads are done at slightly different temperatures, but the range for most loaves falls within 5 or 10 degrees of 200°F., so it is a good figure to keep in mind.

[KingOfPoland]

Beautiful bread! Looks good, and I'll definitely save this.^u^