makes 1 loaf
One of the glories of cuisine is the way that certain ingredients come together—in this case rye and sunflower seeds. Together, they exert a mystical alchemy that French bakers discovered centuries ago. To my way of thinking, the result is a perfect bread that’s enjoyable on its own, without accompaniments. If you’re a backpacker and you don’t want to carry much with you, just throw a loaf of sunflower rye in your knapsack. It’s packed with protein, carbohydrates, and, most of all, flavor.
I can’t claim I’ve done all that much to improve upon the time-honored recipe for this bread, although I have fiddled somewhat with ratios of ingredients and flours. And because it employs acidic sourdough fermentation, it has a longer shelf life than many other sunflower rye breads. What’s truly critical, however, is the seemingly minor step of toasting the sunflower seeds before incorporating them in the dough. Then, as the bread bakes, the oil from the toasted seeds seeps into the crumb, creating a deeply nutty flavor that balances the sharpness of the rye.