Latvian black bread - old family recipe
Hello, I've been a long time reader of this site but this is my first time posting. I've been making bread for several years, and my favorites are good hearty rye breads. So I am experienced working with rye, but I recently came across an old family recipe for Latvian black bread, and I am looking for any suggestions you may have.
The recipe is from my great grandmother (who I never met). She would bake this in large batches for her kids and grandkids, who all lived within the same neighborhood. She was apparently notorious for not measuring things, which you can see in the recipe which I will post at the end of this.
I've been taking her recipe and measuring and weighing all the ingredients in the hopes of having a recipe I can reproduce if it comes out ok. Some questions:
I have never used fresh yeast before. I normally use my own starter or dried yeast. The recipe refers to yeast by the "piece". I found some small blocks of fresh yeast at the local supermarket. Is it reasonable to assume that a piece I buy today is close to the size of a piece from 50 years ago? Any suggestions for how to estimate the right amount to use?
The recipe calls for sifted flour, both rye and white flour. I have sifted some so I can measure the weight of a cup, but I don't plan to actually sift the flour before making bread. Is there any reason that sifting would make a difference to the dough? I assume that once you mix it all up and knead it, it shouldn't matter. I just can't think of why a bread recipe would call for sifted flour.
The sugar in the recipe surprised me, as these European ryes are usually not sweet. Have any of you seen that in rye bread recipes before? I'm going to do it, but I have my doubts...
Last question: the recipe calls for caraway measured by the handful. I figure I'll just approximate a small handful, since she was a small woman. Any suggestions for a reasonable measurement of caraway for this bread? I am OK with some caraway flavor but don't tend to like rye breads that bowl you over with it.
Thank you for any help/suggestions. I'm really excited to make this, I hope it turns out well. In case you're interested, the recipe as given to me by my aunt is below.
-Rob.
Starter (Roga)
--------------
2 cups rye flour (sifted)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 t lemon juice
1/2 piece yeast
1/4 t salt
Into small bowl sift flour, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add lemon juice and salt.
Stir. Cover, set aside one hour to raise a little. Refrigerate covered one week.
Black Bread
-----------
6 cups sifted rye flour
12 cups sifted white flour (don't sift if it's presifted)
2T coarse salt
1 cup sugar
2 handful caraway seeds
8 cups warm water
1 piece yeast
Night before baking warm 4 cups water. Put in large pan with starter, stir, add one
piece of yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup water. Stir all, add rye flour and stir well. Cover
pan airtight. Sit on counter overnight.
Next morning add white flour with 4 cups warm water., stir, add salt, sugar, caraway
seeds. It is best to knead with hands, too heavy for spoon.
Start early as it takes 3 hours to rise.
When dough is almost to the top of pan, put out 5 loaf pans ( 1 lb each).
Place dough in each 1/2 full so room to rise while baking. Set aside 30 minutes.
Bake 400 degrees for one hour. When bread is out of oven, coat top with egg wash
for glossy finish.