Patty melt

Make the patties thin and cook them hot.

Rye bread recipe from Michael Ruhlman 

Served with oven fries.

I am not sure I have ever eaten a patty melt.  They remind me of my mother, stopping in the diner in the Blue Ridge Mall (I think it was a counter at Woolworth's), it was her go to sandwich.  Well I do like them.  A lot.   You could always buy the rye bread.  I couldn't find any at Hyvee that didn't have high fructose corn syrup in them, so I made it instead.  I will make this bread again.

Rye bread from Michael Ruhlman

340 grams bread flour

230 grams rye flour

340 grams water

1 tsp dry yeast

1 tbsp caraway seeds

2 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in kitchenaid.  Knead for 10-15 minutes, until soft and smooth.

Let rise in covered bowl 2-4 hours (until doubled in size)

Punch it down and shape it into a rectangle about an inch thick.  Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Oil a loaf pan  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Starting at top of rectangle, fold dough over on itself, folding and punch the dough down.  You want a tight loaf.  Roll it back and forth.  Put in loaf pan.

Slice the top of the dough.  Back 30 minutes.  Turn oven down to 375 degrees and cook another 15-30 minutes (until internal temp is 200 degrees.)

Cool on rack.

   

Patty Melt

Slice the bread and butter the top and bottom.  Place one slice of swiss cheese (or cheddar, seems there is some regional differences about what type of cheese to use.) on the unbuttered side of the bread.  Place a hamburger patty on the cheese, cover with another slice of cheese and a slice of bread.  Cook like you would a grilled cheese.  (We cooked it in the same pan that we cooked the meat, just pouring out the fat first)