25% Rye Sourdough

Step 1: The day before or early in the morning, refresh your sourdough starter with equal weights of flour and water. Let double in volume and use or refrigerate.

Step 2: Mix the starter with the water oil. Add the dry ingredients except for salt, mix well and let rest covered for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Knead the dough while adding the salt until the salt is well distributed, about 5 minutes. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Step 4: Stretch and fold the dough by stretching the dough on an oiled counter with oiled hands into a rectangle and folding letter- style top down, bottom up and then stretch and fold the sides in to form a rough cubic package.

Step 5: Place in an oiled, straight-sided container covered. Clear containers work best to judge when the dough has doubled in volume.

Step 6: S&F every 20 minutes for one or two more times until the dough is silky smooth.

Step 7: When nearly doubled in size (about 2 hours), tip the dough onto a very lightly floured counter and divide into 2 loaves. Gently form into ball or torpedo shapes.

Step 8: Place in floured or oiled bowl or a floured proofing basket (seam side up). Cover with oiled plastic and proof at room temperature about 45 to 60 minutes.

Step 9: Preheat the oven to 375 F with a steam pan (a skillet you heat in the oven) located on the bottom rack of the oven.

Step 10: When the dough is 1 1/2 times the original volume, turn out the loaf (seam down) onto parchment paper (not oiled) and score the top of the loaves with a sharp knife or razor blade.

Step 11: Carefully pour 1 cup of hot water into the steam pan and place the loaves and parchment paper on a baking sheet or a pizza stone in the middle of the oven.

Step 12: Bake for 15 min with steam, rotate loaf and remove steam pan.

Step 13: Bake for 25 more minutes without steam until 205 F internally.

Step 14: Cool on a rack and slice when cool.