Caraway Rye Bread: A Siver Palate Original

With more than enough time on our hands self isolating during COVID-19, it seemed a good time to try my hand at making some homemade bread. With an enormous library of cookbooks, including 'Tartine' and Nancy Silverton's 'Breads from the La Brea Bakery', I instead turned to my trusted Silver Palate 'New Basiscs' cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins for one of their easy bread recipes. Having a cup of rye flour already in the pantry and all of the ingredients to make their Caraway Rye Loaf, my goal was set: one loaf of warm homemade bread in less than 3 hours.

The rye and all purpose flour is added to the foamy yeast mixture along with some honey, oil and tablespoon of caraway seeds

The dough is then kneaded for about 10 minutes until it's smooth and elastic

Lightly oil a large bowl, and turn the dough in it to coat it with the oil, then cover and let proof for 45 minutes, until it doubles in size

The dough is punched down and allowed to rise again for 30 minutes, until its placed on a cornmeal coated baking tray, and allowed to rise a third time

An egg and water wash is brushed over the dough,  sprinkled with additional caraway seeds, then scored on the top with a very sharp knife

Baked at 375°F for 35 minutes until the bread is deep golden and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped with your finger, the bread is done

Caraway Rye Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Recipe courtesy of  Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso/The Silver Palate Cookbook

1 package active dry yeast
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water
1/4 tsp sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup rye flour
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
1 tbsp water
Caraway seeds, for sprinkling
Maldon salt, for sprinkling, optional


Stir the yeast, 1/4 cup warm water (between 80° and 100°), and sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside until the yeast starts foaming, 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir both flours, the caraway seeds, and the salt together in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, oil, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons warm water. Stir until the mixture forms a mass. If the dough seems too dry, add a small amount of water, which I did. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, at least 10 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, and turn the dough in it to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Punch the dough down and shape it into a ball. Return it to the oiled bowl, cover it loosely, and let it rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Lightly butter a baking sheet. Sprinkle it with the cornmeal. Punch the dough down and shape it into an 8-inch-long oval loaf. Place it on the baking sheet, cover it loosely, and let it rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Beat the egg and water together, and brush this over the loaf. Sprinkle it with some caraway seeds, and as I did, added a dash of Maldon salt. Using a razor blade or a sharp knife, cut five slashes across the top. Bake until the bread is deep golden and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped with your finger, about 35 minutes. Remove it from the baking sheet and set it on a wire rack to cool — or do as I did, slice a piece hot from the oven with a pat of butter — divine!