I have long had an interest in baking using natural yeast (sourdough) and love rye bread. Normally i add vital wheat gluten to get more rise out of the bread. Typical recipe is for 60% rye at 70% hydration.
However i saw this video:
http://www.boulangerie.net/forums/bnweb/videobn.php
click on seigle sur levain
and decided to try it based on 500 gr flour
here is my formula - its slightly different from the video
white flour - 135 gr
light rye - 325 gr
rye meal/dark rye - 40 gr
salt 6 gr
water - 380 gr
yeast - 2 pinches
Day 1 - take 40 gr of your white sourdough starter (100% hydration) and add 71 gr white flour and 44 gr water - leave to rise and retard in fridge so it doesn't go "over"
take 44 gr white flour add 2 pinches of yeast ( i used ordinary dried yeast not the fast acting stuff) and 44 gr water. Leave to rise till bubbly and not doubled and retard in fridge
Day 2
dump the white levain and yeast stuff into a bowl and add:
the rye flor and salt and 292 gr water.
Mix well - use a stand mixer if you want - I just stirred with a strong knife for several minutes. waited 10 minutes and repeated.
No real kneading involve - have read working rye flour alot messes it up.
Leave to rise till double - watch the video to see how lightly they handle the dough - iow - do not knock it back - treat gently.
form into a boule - see video again
place in banneton - preferably linen lined - I just put a linen cloth in mine.
leave to rise till not quite doubled - turn out and bake 10 mins gas mark 9 - not sure what 0C that is and put some boiling water into a container that has been heating for about 1and a half hours at top temp - Cast isron is best -i use roasting tray filled with cast iron weights - this gives good steam
after 10 min bake for another hour at gas 7
result - i was delighted structe not a open as when i use gluten but still some irregular holes
taste not sour but not yeasty either
crust dark as in the video but w/o the gorgeous splitting patterns they acheived. nice caramel taste
do i miss the caraway - a bit but its a nice change
experiment - next will make a rye levain and still use yeast
then try white levain no yeast
and rye levain no yeast and see how they pan out.