Chewy Semolina Rye Bread

Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a large bowl, or in the bucket of your bread machine, combine all of the dough ingredients.

Mix, then knead — by hand, mixer or bread machine — until you've made a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour.

Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a round or oval loaf; place the loaf on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Or shape the dough into an 8" log, and place it in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" bread pan.

Cover the loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until it's very puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat your oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.

Remove the plastic. Spritz the loaf with water, and sprinkle it with the seeds of your choice.

Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, tenting it with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. When the loaf is fully baked, a digital thermometer inserted into its center should register 190°F.

Remove the bread from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool. If it's in a loaf pan, turn it out of the pan onto the rack. Cool completely before slicing. Store the well-wrapped bread at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.