This recipe is for one shallow loaf in a 900g (2 lb) tin.

Ingredients

• 350g wholemeal (wholewheat) rye flour, plus extra for dusting

• 150g rye flakes (cracked rye kernels)

• 100g rye sourdough starter

• 350g tepid water

• 100g sunflower seeds

• 50g flax or sesame seeds

• 7g table salt

• Butter, for greasing

• Seeds, porridge oats, or rye flakes, for topping

Instructions

1. Combine Ingredients for Autolyse: In a large bowl, weigh the rye flour and rye flakes. Add the sourdough starter and tepid water, and mix everything until roughly combined. This is the autolyse stage, which allows the wholemeal grain to absorb the water.

2. Toast the Seeds: While the dough is autolysing, weigh out your sunflower and flax or sesame seeds. Spread them on a tray and place them in a non-preheated oven. Set the oven to 200°C (400°F) / 180°C (350°F) fan / Gas 6, and bake the seeds for about 5 minutes. They should be aromatic but not roasted. Leave them to cool.

3. Rest the Dough: Leave the dough to rest for a couple of hours at room temperature.

4. Add Salt and Seeds: After the autolyse, add the table salt to your dough. Give it a knead for 3-4 minutes. You should notice the gluten developing and the dough holding its shape better. At this point, add the cooled seeds and mix until they are evenly combined.

5. Proofing: Cover your bowl and leave the dough somewhere at room temperature to prove for 3-4 hours. The text mentions a stretch and fold can be done to redistribute moisture.

6. Pre-shape and Prepare Tin: You might not see a dramatic rise, but the dough should have some volume. Use a dough scraper to turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface and pre-shape it into a single lump. Leave it to rest for 20-30 minutes. While it's resting, grease your loaf tin generously with butter.

7. Preheat Oven and Bake: Preheat your oven to 250°C (480°F) / 230°C (450°F) fan/ gas Mark 9 for at least 30-40 minutes, if using a baking stone. If you are not using a stone, 10-15 minutes will do.

8. Baking with Steam: Sprinkle the top of the loaf with seeds, oats, or rye flakes. Turn the oven down to 220°C (430°F) / 200°C (400°F) fan/ gas mark 7. Add steam by pouring water into a cast-iron pan on the floor of the oven. After 20 minutes, vent the steam from the oven. Continue baking for another 25-30 minutes for a large 950g loaf (or 10 minutes for half-size 450g loaves).

9. Crusty Sides and Cooling: Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven, turn it out of the tin, and place it back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to develop a slightly crustier side. Finally, remove the bread and allow it to cool for at least one hour before slicing.