rye bread (as written by my mother's mother)
2c milk, lukewarm
1 pint, potato water (put in mashed potatoes also)
2/3 c sugar
add 1pkg yeast that's been dissolved in warm water. mix all together with white flour (about 5 cups) to medium stiff; add 5 tbs molasses. let rise about 1 1/2 hours. then add 2 c rye flour (medium rye) and one tbs salt. mix 1/3 c shortening in well. beating well. add white flour, enough to knead on board (4-5c) knead 5 min. till smooth. grease tin and bread on top. when double in size knead into loaves. let rise again.
bake 350 for 45min.
learning how to bake bread is on my list for winter.
not just baking bread, but understanding bread.
i guess this was a good start (towards understanding). as the recipe was clearly written by someone who regularly baked bread.
i dissolved the yeast in a half cup of the potato water. then dissolved the sugar in the milk combined with remaining potato water.
medium stiff? i have no idea. so kept adding flour until it seemed harder to stir. but still more like batter than bread.
i used butter instead of shortening.
and came up with two large round loaves, a tray of rolls, and a regular size bread pan.
the flavor was marvelous! but i still am not sure if this is how it is meant to be made...
