Pastrami Gruyere Rye Sandwich
A fantastic pastrami sandwich with homemade rye bread, melted gruyere cheese, and homemade red wine mustard.
Servings 8 sandwiches
Ingredients
For each sandwich:
- 2 slices rye bread recipe below or use store-bought
- 5 ounces pastrami
- 3.5 ounces gruyere cheese thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon mustard or more to taste
- potato chips and gherkins to serve, optional
Make the rye bread or use a good one from the bakery
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 cup light rye flour finely milled. Medium or dark rye also work, but result in a darker bread.
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour finely milled. Or use regular whole wheat flour for a darker bread.
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons malt syrup or molasses
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or other vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds crushed or coarsely ground
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed or coarsely ground
- 1 cup bread flour or all-purpose flour
Instructions
For each sandwich:
- Lightly toast 2 slices rye bread.
- Spread one side with 1 tablespoon mustard. Top with 3.5 ounces gruyere cheese, sliced and return for a few minutes to the oven until the cheese begins to melt.
- Arrange 5 ounces pastrami slices on top of the other bread slice. Top with the inverted slice with cheese. Serve with potato chips and gherkins, if desired.
For the bread:
- Grease one 9x5 inch (23x13cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon dry yeast and ¼ cup warm water and let foam for a few minutes.
- In the bowl of the stand mixer, put 1 cup light rye flour, 1 cup white whole wheat flour, 2 teaspoons salt, ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons malt syrup, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons sunflower oiland yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until it integrates.
- Attach the dough hook and start mixing on medium-low speed until a shaggy dough is formed.
- Add 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 1 cup bread flour, a few tablespoons at a time.
- Beat for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is elastic but not too stiff. If it's too sticky add a few more tablespoons of bread flour but don't overdo it. It needs to retain some stickiness.
- Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. It can take more time depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough down, and then roll it tightly, pinching edges to seal.
- Place in the prepared pan, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise again until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- About 20 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
Notes
Ratio: The amounts of each ingredient given below are an estimate. Adjust to your personal preference with more of this or less of that.
Storing the bread: cover the bread in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for a few days, in the fridge for a week or frozen for a month (I recommend slicing it first).
