A Coast-to-Coast South Tyrolean (Merano) Rye/Meraner Striezl

If there’s a rye bread equivalent of the Perfect Storm – that is, when all the ideal conditions come together at the same time – this bread is it. Start with the formula for a classic South Tyrolean Merano Rye from Austrian master baker/blogger Dietmar Kappl, then use it to showcase two spectacular artisan flours – California-grown Abruzzi rye from Grist & Toll and organic heritage emmer from Maine Grains – and you come up with a bread that’s very, very special.

Like most Alpine ryes, this one is built on multiple sponges – a 2-stage sour rye sponge and a one-stage emmer (wheat) sponge seeded with rye sour culture. The result is an amazingly complex, well-balanced sour that complements the sweet nuttiness of emmer, the fragrance of fennel and the spicy sweetness of this earthy heirloom rye. A stale rye bread soaker adds tenderness to the open crumb, encased in a dry baked, chewy crust.

When I first tasted this bread, I was at a loss for what to pair it with: frankly, almost anything I could think of would only, to my mind, become a distraction from this extraordinary chew. So here’s my suggestion: Don’t pair it with anything. Eat it unadorned, or perhaps with a light coating of sweet butter and concentrate on this wonderful symphony of flavors.

Stage 1 Rye sponge (Day 1, Afternoon):

In a bowl, combine the Stage 1 rye sponge ingredients by hand, cover and ferment at room temperature (70°F/21°C) 16-24 hours. The sponge will have a strong sour aroma, and will have begun to fall back on itself.

Wheat sponge (Day 1, Evening):

In a separate container, combine the Wheat sponge ingredients, cover and ferment at room temperature for 16-20 hours. The sponge will have a strong sour aroma, and will have begun to fall back on itself.

Stage 2 Rye sponge (Day 2, Midday):

Add the Stage 2 sponge ingredients to the Stage 1 sponge, hand mix until blended, cover and ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours. The sponge will have nearly tripled in volume and show broken bubbles on the surface.

Soaker (Day 2, Midday):

In a separate container combine the Soaker ingredients and let stand at room temperature for 2-4 hours.

When the bread has softened, mash it finely with a fork.

Final Dough: (Day 2, Afternoon)

In the mixer bowl, combine the final dough ingredients and use the dough hook at low (KA2) speed to mix until fully blended into a soft, moderately sticky dough that begins to gather around the hook, 5-6 minutes. Cover and ferment at room temperature until the dough has visibly expanded and shows broken bubbles on the surface, 30-40 minutes.

Turn the dough onto a well-floured work surface and divide into two pieces,  weighing just over 2 lb/935 g. Shape into rounds or oblongs and place them, seam-side down, into well-floured proofing baskets.

Cover and proof at room temperature until the dough has expanded to about 1½ times its original volume and shows cracks or broken bubbles, 35-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 480°F/250°C with the baking surface in the middle. Bake without steam for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 390°F/200°C and continue baking until the loaves thump when tapped with a finger and the internal temperature is at least 198°F/92°C, 45-50 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool thoroughly before slicing.

Baker’s Percentages: