1 1/4 cups white bread flour
1/4 cup rye flour
1/2 tsp. salt, slightly heaped
1/8 tsp. instant dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
3/4 cup filtered water
Mix the ingredients in a glass or ceramic container (we use the crock from a slow cooker) just until they are combined, with no patches of flour.
Cover the container and set in a warm place overnight, eight to 12 hours or until the surface of the dough is full of little bubbles.
With floured hands, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and fold it over itself a couple of times. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Coat a kitchen towel with white flour and with floured hands, quickly form the dough into a round loaf. Place it on the flour-coated towel, dust the top with more flour and cover with another towel. Allow it to rise for about two hours, until it does not readily spring back when pressed with a fingertip.
Set the oven to 450 degrees. If you have a pizza stone, put it on the bottom rack and place on it a lidded casserole or Dutch oven to preheat in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
When the baking dish is well heated, remove it from the oven, take the lid off and carefully invert the bread dough into the dish. It may go in unevenly: Just shake the dish a bit to settle the dough.
Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes.
Take off the lid and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the loaf is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Remove from the baking dish and cool on a rack for as long as you can hold out then slice and serve with butter or sour cream and salt.
