PEASANT BREAD

PEASANT BREAD 3 tsp. Postum 2 c. hot water 4 tbsp. dark molasses 2 c. fine, dark breadcrumbs, toasted (or 1 1/2 cups crumbs, 1/2 cup wheat germ) 2 pkgs. yeast 1/2 c. lukewarm water 1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 3 c. rye flour 1/4 c. melted butter 2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 c. white flour

GLAZE: 1 tsp. Postum, dissolved in 2 tsp. cold water

Pour the hot water into a large mixing bowl and dissolve in it 3 teaspoons of the Postum and the molasses. Add the bread crumbs and mix. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water, adding the sugar and ginger. Stir the yeast mixture and let it stand for about 15 minutes. When the breadcrumbs are cooled to lukewarm and the yeast is spongy, mix them together and stir in the rye flour.

To this very dry mixture add the salt and melted butter. Spread the white flour on a large board, and put the dark mixture on it. Turn the bowl over it and leave it covered this way for about 15 minutes. Knead it vigorously for at least 10 minutes, using as much of the white flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. When it is smooth and stiff, put it in a greased bowl, turn it over once, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Turn out onto a very lightly floured board and shape into 1 large loaf, either quite long or round but, in any case, as high as you can make it; it will spread out as it rises again. Place it on a buttered baking sheet, cover, and let rise again about 30 minutes. It should be nearly double in bulk.

Before baking, dissolve 1 teaspoon of Postum in 2 teaspoons cold water and brush the loaf with this mixture. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes at 400 degrees.

#peasant #bread #rye