Klassisk Matpakke
(klah-sisk maht-pah-kuh)
Matpakke & Smørrebrød: Rhythms of the Nordic Midday
In Norway, the rhythm of the midday meal was set by a 1930s doctor who knew that hot, heavy lunches made kids sleepy, and that whole grains, good cheese, and milk were the keys to a sharp mind. He was right. The matpakke isn't a crusty artisan sourdough or an intricate bento box; it is a humble, deeply wholesome stack of open-faced sandwiches built for sustained energy. Unwrapping the wax paper at noon releases the faint tang of rye, the sweetness of real butter, and the aroma of oats. It requires precisely zero morning cooking. It is a culturally sanctioned act of practical love, and for a first-generation kid, it is exactly what home tastes like.
Ingredients
- warm water1 1/2 cup
- whole milk1 cup
- active dry yeast2 1/4 tsp
- honey1 tbsp
- whole wheat flour2 cup
- dark rye flour1 cup
- old fashioned rolled oats1 1/4 cup
- bread flour3 1/2 cup
- kosher salt2 tsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- salted butter4 tbsp
- Jarlsberg cheese4 slice
- red bell pepper2 slice
- smooth liver pâté2 tbsp
- cucumber2 slice
- Ski Queen Gjetost brown cheese2 slice
Method
- 01
Activate the yeast.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, room-temperature milk, honey, and yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- 02
Mix the hearty grains.
Add the whole wheat flour, rye flour, 1 cup of the oats, and salt, mixing with the dough hook on low speed until a wet sludge forms. Let this rest for 10 minutes so the dark grains can hydrate, yielding a much softer loaf.
- 03
Knead the dough.
Gradually add the bread flour, a half cup at a time, kneading on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should clear the sides but remain slightly tacky to the touch; resist the urge to add too much flour.
- 04
Let the dough rise.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 05
Shape the loaves.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide it in half, and shape into tight logs. Place them into two well-greased 8.5x4.5 inch loaf pans.
- 06
Proof and top the bread.
Mist the tops lightly with water, scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of rolled oats over them, and cover loosely. Let rise for 45 to 60 minutes until the dough crests an inch above the pan rim.
- 07
Bake the bread.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the loaves on the lower-middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until deeply browned and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom.
- 08
Cool the loaves completely.
Remove the bread from the pans immediately and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Slicing warm whole-grain bread will turn the crumb gummy.
- 09
Butter the bread edge-to-edge.
Lay out four cooled slices on a cutting board and spread a thin, even layer of butter on each to create a waterproof seal that keeps the bread fresh.
- 10
Layer the canonical toppings.
Top the first two slices with Jarlsberg and a pepper ring, the third with a smear of liver pâté and cucumber, and the fourth with sweet brown cheese.
- 11
Stack with wax paper.
Place a 4x4-inch square of wax paper directly on top of the first slice's toppings. Stack the next open-faced sandwich on top, repeat the wax paper, and build a neat tower.
- 12
Wrap and rest the matpakke.
Roll the sandwich tower tightly in a large sheet of parchment or wax paper, folding the ends underneath. Let it sit wrapped in a bag for at least 3 hours before eating so the crust slightly softens and the flavors marry.
Notes
The Freezer Hack.
Slice the entire cooled loaf and freeze the slices in a zip-top bag. Pulling out frozen slices to make your morning matpakke ensures they are perfectly thawed and taste freshly baked by noon.
The Importance of Paper.
Never wrap a matpakke in plastic. Paper breathes, maintaining an equilibrium that softens the crust slightly without making it soggy or causing the cheese to sweat unpleasantly.