I’ve been baking with sourdough for years, but my foray into baking with sourdough discard (the unfed starter) is much more recent. Now that I’ve been dabbling for a while, I’m a bit ashamed of how much discard I’ve thrown in the trash over the years! (I keep a small starter, but still). If you’re also looking to avoid throwing away your starter, give this rieska with sourdough discard a shot!
Rieska is a traditional Finnish rye quickbread. It’s a crowd-pleaser, which I love, and comes together in the blink of an eye, which I arguably love even more, especially since I’ve accidentally conditioned my entire family to expect homemade bread with most meals.
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Tools & Equipment for Rieska w/ Sourdough Discard
- 9×13 pan (or quarter-sheet pan)
- Dough whisk or spatula
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter
- Kitchen scale (optional)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
Ingredients for Rieska w/ Sourdough Discard
- 1/2 cup (45g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (113g) rye flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cup (200 g) sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
The Process: How to Make Rieska with Sourdough Discard
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Farenheit (yes, really!) Line a quarter-sheet pan or a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, then lightly butter or grease it. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk oats, rye and all-purpose flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, until fully combined. Add the butter in chunks and use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is a coarse texture and the butter is mostly incorporated. Add the sourdough starter to the bowl and cut this in with the pastry cutter as well, until mostly mixed. It’s okay if it’s not fully incorporated, it will be when you add the milk.
Add the milk to the mixing bowl and stir- a dough whisk or a spatula will work well. This is a very wet, sticky dough! Scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Use wet hands to gently spread it out to evenly fill the pan.
Optional: let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for a few hours for a little more “spring” to the bread. The longer you leave it, the more the flavor will “sour” like sourdough as the discard will begin to ferment the bread.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned and springy to the touch. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then cut into squares and serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Should I Serve and Store Rieska with Sourdough Discard?
My absolute favorite way to enjoy rieska is alongside a good soup, generously smeared with butter.
Try serving it with Finnish Sausage Soup or Finnish Salmon Soup!
Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container on the counter for a few days, or they will freeze well for a few months.
Why Does Sourdough Discard Work in Rieska?
Rieska is generally made with buttermilk, which is acidic. Buttermilk gives baked goods a tender texture and a little extra lift, especially when combined with baking soda. Sourdough starter is also quite acidic and can also have these same effects on baked goods! I’ve found the swap works really well in this bread. For the extra “lift” effect, leave the batter out to sit for 30 minutes or so before baking.
Substitutions
Barley flour can be used in place of the rye flour- both are traditionally used in rieska!
Finnish Rye Flatbread (Rieska)- With Sourdough Discard
The classic flavorful Finnish rye flatbread, this time made with sourdough discard
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (45g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (113g) rye flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cup (200 g) sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Farenheit (yes, really!) Line a quarter-sheet pan or a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, then lightly grease it. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk oats, rye and all-purpose flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar, until fully combined.
- Add the butter in chunks and use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is a coarse texture and the butter is mostly incorporated.
- Add the sourdough starter to the bowl and cut this in with the pastry cutter as well. It's okay if it's not fully incorporated, it will be when you add the milk.
- Add the milk to the mixing bowl and stir- a dough whisk or a spatula will work well. This is a very wet, sticky dough!
- Scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Use wet hands to gently spread it out to evenly fill the pan.
- Optional: let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for a few hours for a little more "spring" to the bread. The longer you leave it, the more the flavor will "sour" like sourdough as the discard will begin to ferment the bread.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned and springy to the touch. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then cut into squares and serve warm.
Notes
1. If you prefer, you can substitute barley flour for the rye- they are both traditionally used in rieska!
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What Should I Make Next?
If you haven’t tried the original rieska recipe, find that here
Or check out Sourdough Rye here!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments! If you share on Instagram, please tag me at @sisuhomemaker. And I always love to hear from you- send questions, comments, concerns, etc to carol@sisuhomemaker.com!
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