Hi Jeff, the issue with recipes that have a fair amount of rye flour is that they ferment more quickly than white flour recipes, and extending fermentation time can lead to over acidification of the dough—which can contribute to an unpleasantly sour flavor and a deterioration in dough structure. The significant amount of prefermented flour in this recipe delivers plenty of flavor. I don't find that the addition of a small amount of yeast detracts from this flavor, and accelerating the rise time a bit seems to help maintain dough integrity. All that being said, you could certainly experiment by reducing or eliminating the yeast, but I would be cautious about extending the rise times too far. 

Barb

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