Schusterlaberl

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

A staple baked good across eastern Austria, the schusterlaberl is a compact, dark bread roll made from a mix of rye and wheat flour. The name translates literally to "shoemaker's roll," a designation stemming from local Viennese records detailing an apprentice cobbler who routinely mangled his master's daily food order at the bakery, eventually prompting the baker to name this specific rugged loaf after him. To create the dough, bakers combine a high proportion of rye flour with standard wheat flour, activating the mixture with a mature sourdough starter to ensure proper acid development. The formulation strictly requires a specific measurement of four ground seeds—caraway, coriander, fennel, and aniseed—to be kneaded directly into the dough, providing a sharp, earthy flavor profile. Once proofed, the mass is divided and rolled into tight spheres. Rather than using a blade to score the surface, bakers deliberately place the raw dough portions onto the baking tray with the folded seam facing upward. During baking, this exposed seam expands and tears apart naturally, yielding a highly jagged, deeply cracked upper crust that contrasts directly with the tight, chewy interior crumb. This specific seam-up technique ensures the surface area is maximally exposed to heat, creating an unusually thick and crunchy exterior for a roll of this volume. Schusterlaberl serves as a robust foundation for heavy toppings, frequently layered with cold cuts, smoked bacon, aged cheeses, or thick spreads of seasoned pork fat known as verhackert. Because of the aggressive spice blend within the crumb, diners routinely pair the roll with beverages that provide high acidity or carbonation, such as dry white spritzers, regional apple ciders, or malty dark beers.