Stovptsi (стовпці, Poltava Buckwheat Bread)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •A large heatproof mixing bowl
• •A sturdy wooden spoon
• •A heavy baking tray

Instructions

1. 1

   Scald the flour

   Put 250g of the buckwheat flour in a large bowl and pour over the boiling water, stirring hard with a wooden spoon until it turns into a thick, dark paste. It will look alarming for a minute, almost like wet clay. Good. Cover it and let it cool until it feels warm, not hot, against your wrist.

   This scald is the step that decides the bread. Buckwheat can taste sandy if you rush it; boiling water softens the flour and gives the finished crumb its tenderness.
2. 2

   Sour the batter

   Stir in the rye starter, honey or sugar, and the rye flour. Cover the bowl and leave it somewhere cool overnight, or somewhere warmer for a shorter rise, until the batter smells lightly sour and nutty, not raw and dusty. It should swell a little and show small bubbles at the edges.

   No rye starter? Use 3g dried yeast and 2 tablespoons live kefir or sauerkraut brine for a bit more modern version. It won't have the same depth, but it will still feed people.
3. 3

   Finish the dough

   Stir in the remaining 100g buckwheat flour, the salt, and the sunflower oil. The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon but soft enough to slump slowly. If it sits like cement, add warm water a spoonful at a time. Listen to it as you stir: when it stops scratching and starts moving with a soft pull, it is ready.

4. 4

   Shape the batons

   Oil a baking tray and wet or oil your hands. Take generous spoonfuls of dough and shape them into short squat batons, about the length of your palm, setting them apart with room to spread. Don't chase smoothness. Stovptsi should look handled, not manufactured.

5. 5

   Let them settle

   Cover the tray loosely and let the batons rest until they look slightly puffed and the surface has softened, usually while the oven heats. They will not double like wheat buns. Buckwheat is quieter than that.

6. 6

   Bake until firm

   Bake at 200C until the stovptsi are dry on the surface, firm at the sides, and smell deeply toasted, like roasted groats and dark honey. Tap one underneath; it should sound dull-hollow, not wet. Let them rest on the tray for at least ten minutes so the crumb finishes setting.

7. 7

   Serve warm

   Tear them while still warm and eat with milk, sour milk, kefir, or a spoon of smetana. If you want a shine, rub the tops with a little unrefined sunflower oil as they cool. Ukraine in a bottle of oil makes even the plainest bread sit up.

Chef Tips

• •Use buckwheat flour that smells nutty, not bitter. Old buckwheat goes stale fast, and this recipe has nowhere for that taste to hide.
• •The batter is supposed to be sticky. Wet hands are better than extra flour, because too much dry flour makes the batons heavy.
• •If your kitchen is cold, give the overnight souring more time. Watch for bubbles at the edge and wait until the smell changes from raw flour to gentle tang.
• •These are best warm, but they reheat well in a covered pan or low oven. Split leftovers and fry them in sunflower oil for breakfast.

Advance Preparation

• •The scalded buckwheat batter needs an overnight souring, about 8 to 12 hours depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
• •Baked stovptsi keep for 2 days wrapped in a cloth. Rewarm before serving so the crumb softens again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 85g)