Pane di Segale Trentino

Name: Pane di Segale Trentino
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Alpine Italian
Ingredients: 300 g whole rye flour; 200 g strong white bread flour; 350 ml lukewarm water; 15 g Fresh yeast; 10 g Fine sea salt; 1 tsp Caraway seeds; 0.5 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp malt extract or honey

A dense, aromatic rye and wheat loaf from the Alpine valleys of Trentino, lightly spiced with caraway and fennel seeds and made to keep well.

🇮🇹Italy· Trentino-Alto Adige

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 70 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 210 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

300 g whole rye flour — stone-ground preferred
200 g strong white bread flour — type 0 or strong flour
350 ml lukewarm water — around 35 degrees C
15 g Fresh yeast — or 5g active dry yeast
10 g Fine sea salt
1 tsp Caraway seeds — lightly bruised
½ tsp fennel seeds — lightly crushed
1 tsp malt extract or honey — to assist fermentation

Equipment

•Large mixing bowl
•Baking sheet or baking stone
•Parchment paper
•Dough scraper
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 210 kcal
fat: 1 g
carbs: 44 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 6 g
calories: 210 kcal

Instructions

1
Dissolve the yeast and malt extract in 100 ml of lukewarm water in a small bowl.
2
Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes until frothy on top.
3
Whisk the rye flour, white flour, bruised caraway seeds, and fennel seeds together in a large bowl.
4
Pour in the yeast mixture and remaining water, then mix until a rough, sticky dough forms.
5
Sprinkle over the fine salt and work the dough with wet hands for 5 minutes.
6
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to ferment in a warm spot for 90 minutes.
7
Turn the sticky dough onto a well-floured board and gently shape it into a tight, round loaf.
8
Place the loaf seam-side down onto parchment paper and prove for 30 minutes until puffy.
9
Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C with a baking sheet or stone set on the middle shelf.
10
Dust the loaf lightly with rye flour and slash the top with a sharp knife.
11
Slide the loaf onto the hot stone and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until deep brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
12
Transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Chef's tips

Rye dough contains very little gluten, so it will feel much stickier than standard wheat dough. Do not add excessive extra flour, which makes the crumb heavy and dry. Let the bread cool for several hours before cutting so the internal crumb sets properly.

Ingredient substitutions

fresh yeast → 5 g active dry yeast dissolved in the warm water
fennel seeds → aniseed or omitted entirely for a simpler caraway profile

Storage

Wrap in a clean linen towel and store in a bread box at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Reheating

Toast slices lightly under a grill or warm whole pieces in an oven preheated to 160 degrees C for 5 minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Over-kneading rye dough, which breaks down the delicate rye starches and makes it gummy.
•Slicing the bread while hot, which causes the interior to tear and turn dense.
•Baking at too low a temperature, preventing the formation of a robust, protective crust.

Serving suggestions

Cut into thin slices and serve with mountain butter and local Trentino cured meats.Pair with Puzzone di Moena or Trentingrana cheese alongside pickled vegetables.Serve alongside hearty vegetable or barley soups.