Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (2024)

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April 16, 2012 - 11:02pm

Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (1)

txfarmer

Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (2)

Norm's Onon Roll is one of the most beloved recipes on TFL, as well documented here. It can also be found in "Inside the Jewish Bakery", a book well worth reading/owning. I have made this formula exactly as is before, however this time, I took the two things I like the best about this recipe and changed the rest:

1. The onion filling recipe using dried onion and poppy seeds is what makes this bread so tasty. I used the formula from the book:
dehydrated chopped onion, 45g
boiling water, 340g
oil, 14g
poppy seeds, 10g
salt, 4g
-mix boiling water and dried onion, soak for at least 30min
-drain and use paper towel to dry onion mixture well, reserve onion water for dough
-mix in oil, poppy seed, and salt. Cover, keep refridgerated for up to 2 weeks
Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (3)

2. The shaped rolls have to be "fully" proofed to keep the flat profile and the signature dent in the middle. By fully proofed, it means when I press the dough with my finger, it won't spring back at all, yet it won't collapse either.

Norm's original post and the recipe in his book use a lightly enriched sweet dough for this bread. I decided to use my own sourdough rye dough instead, making use onion water from the filling formula above.

Note: makes 7 rolls
Note: total flour is 270g
-levain
rye starter (100%), 11g
water, 19g
medium rye 35g

1. Mix and let fermentation at room temp (73F) for 12 hours.

- Final Dough
bread flour, 189g
rye flour, 41g
egg, 32g
sugar, 19g
salt, 5g
onion water from filling, 57g
heavy cream, 116g
levain, all

1. Mix everything , knead until moderate level of gluten developement. A relatively thin windowpane can be stretched, but holes can appear.
2. Rise at room temp for 2 hours, punch down, put in fridge overnight.
3. Divide into 7 parts, round, rest for 1 hour.
4. Smooth side down, press into onion filling mixture, flatten into 1inch thick disks. Filling side up, put on baking sheet, cover.
Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (4)
5. Fully proof at room temperature. About 6.5hours at 72F. Press a hole in the middle, the dough should not spring back, nor should it collapse.
Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (5)
7. Bake at 400F for 15-20min.
Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (6)

Rye sourdough complements well with onion flavor. Crumb is fluffy and soft.
Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (7)

Thank you Norm for the inspiration!
Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (8)

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Comments

April 17, 2012 - 8:25am

Great pictures txsfarmer!

Great pictures txsfarmer! The topping on those rolls looks most inviting. Thanks for bringing this recipe to my attention. I hadn't noticed it before. Will have to try this.

Syd

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (12)

txfarmer

April 17, 2012 - 4:15pm

This is THE most loved recipe

This is THE most loved recipe on TFL I think, not to be missed!

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (13)

ehanner

April 17, 2012 - 12:18pm

Heavenly Aroma!

Hey txfarmer,

Those are enough to bring me up from my absence and make me drool. Great that you re-introduced them to the new crowd here.

Eric

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (14)

txfarmer

April 17, 2012 - 4:15pm

Hey stranger! Good to "see"

Hey stranger! Good to "see" you!

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April 17, 2012 - 2:35pm

Are these

Norm's take on Bialy's where the center was redistributed everywhere else? They look delicious txfarmer and worth the 6.5 hr final proof wait .The hardest partto learn is : to poke and keep poking till it doesn't poke back - then bake.

Very nice roll.

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (16)

txfarmer

April 17, 2012 - 4:16pm

I think Bialy's dough is

I think Bialy's dough is leaner than this, and the shape is slightly different. Norm has a different recipe for bialys in his book.

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (17)

Janetcook

April 17, 2012 - 7:30pm

Hi Txfarmer,I just baked

Hi Txfarmer,

I just baked this loaf yesterday and I have also converted it to using sourdough rather than IY but hadn't thought of adding rye flour to the mix. I am thinking that would complement the onions nicely so next time I will have to give it a go.

With the rolls I made yesterday I ended up making braided loaves - tucking the onion filling into the dough instead of pressing it onto the top....did this because the onions always fall off and I get afraid that one of our dogs will get sick from the onions that always seem to make it to my kitchen floor.

Your rolls look very delicious and the crumb looks nice and open and soft despite the addition of the rye.

Thanks for the post and write up.

Take Care,

Janet

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (18)

txfarmer

April 18, 2012 - 12:13pm

It's a great idea to make

It's a great idea to make these into braids!

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (19)

Isand66

April 18, 2012 - 7:15am

Magnificiant looking rolls!I

Magnificiant looking rolls!

I made a similar sourdough version a while ago, but I like your idea of adding the rye flour and must try this myself when I return from my trip.

Thanks for sharing your recipe.

Regards

Ian

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (20)

txfarmer

April 18, 2012 - 12:13pm

Thanks Ian, I think rye and

Thanks Ian, I think rye and onion are a great match!

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (21)

bayleafbaker

July 12, 2016 - 12:42pm

These look great!

The flour combination sounds lovely.

I have a question about the dehydrated onion. 45g is about 1/2 cup + 1T., correct? From web research, I gathered that 1/2 cup dehydrated onion = 2 cups minced fresh onion.
I don't have dehydrated onion on hand...do you think that mincing fresh onion and sauteing/caramelizing them a bit would work as a substitute?

Thanks!

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (22)

Graham

January 13, 2020 - 2:24pm

Sourdough Onion Rolls

These look wonderful! Do you know if it doubles well? I make a lot of sourdough rye with onions and garlic. I can not wait to try these rolls.

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Sourdough Rye Onion Rolls - my take on Norm's well loved Onion Roll recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is rye flour good for sourdough bread? ›

Rye flour is a popular choice in sourdough bread because of its unique properties, which can speed up fermentation, add a complex flavor profile, reduce density, retain moisture, and offer more nutrition than wheat flour.

Can I add rye flour to my sourdough starter? ›

Whole wheat and rye flours provide more nutrients for your starter and ferment more actively, but working with rye flour makes starter maintenance easier than whole wheat. Rye provides increased fiber and nutrients similar to whole wheat flour, but because of its lower gluten amount it's much easier to stir.

Is rye better than wheat for sourdough starter? ›

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

How do you maintain a rye sourdough starter? ›

The rye starter is maintained at 100% hydration, with feeding being equal parts rye starter, water, and flour (30g rye starter + 30g warm water (un-chlorinated) + 30g whole organic whole rye flour).

Is sourdough rye bread the healthiest bread? ›

As long as they're made with whole grains and have limited or no added sugar, both rye bread and sourdough bread are healthy bread options. Sourdough bread may be even healthier than regular bread because the fermentation makes certain vitamins and minerals easier for our bodies to absorb.

Is sourdough rye bread anti inflammatory? ›

Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet. The best sourdough and rye bread varieties to reduce gut inflammation are those made from whole grains.

Can you feed sourdough starter without discarding? ›

If your recipe calls for more than 227g (about 1 cup) of starter, feed it without discarding until you've reached the amount you need (plus 113g to keep and feed again).

What is the healthiest flour for sourdough bread? ›

Rye Flour

Compared to wholemeal flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means that rye flour produces slack, sticky and dense doughs.

Which rye flour is best for sourdough? ›

Whole wheat's counterpart: Pumpernickel flour

This is also the kind of rye flour you'll usually find in sourdough recipes, as it's best for fermentation. Because the whole kernel is present in this whole grain rye, pumpernickel flour is coarser than white or medium rye and makes heavier baked goods.

Can I use tap water for sourdough starter? ›

*If making sourdough is new for you, do not be discouraged if you starter takes longer to get active than mine – stick with it, it will happen! *Tap water is usually fine, if you are not sure, use boiled and cooled water, you can use it at room temperature or cool; do not use distilled water.

Which bread is better for diabetics sourdough or rye? ›

Sourdough bread is made through a slow fermentation process, which may cause this type of bread to raise blood sugar more slowly than other breads. As a result, sourdough bread could be a great choice for those with diabetes. Whole grain sourdough bread is the best sourdough bread for diabetics.

What is the best flour to start a sourdough starter with? ›

Whole wheat flour is an excellent choice for creating a sourdough starter due to its nutrient-rich composition and potential for fostering a robust microbial community. However, it's important to note that the quality of whole wheat flour can vary between brands.

What is the best flour to use for sourdough bread? ›

Whole wheat flour is an excellent choice for creating a sourdough starter due to its nutrient-rich composition and potential for fostering a robust microbial community. However, it's important to note that the quality of whole wheat flour can vary between brands.

What is the best flour combination for sourdough bread? ›

The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour.

References

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