BREADS - POTATO BREAD #3

Makes three 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaves

1 cup warm potato water

2 packages (4.5 teaspoons) active dry yeast

2 tablespoons honey

6-7 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup warm milk

½ cup melted butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup riced (or mashed without any lumps) potato

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons honey

Grated rind of 1 lemon (optional)

2 cups bread flour

Combine the potato water, yeast, and honey in a small mixing bowl, stirring until dissolved.  Beat in 1 cup of unbleached flour until a smooth batter is formed.  Cover and set aside 30 minutes, or until light and bubbly.

In a large mixing bowl blend the milk, butter, eggs, potatoes, salt, honey, and grated rind.  Add the sponge and stir well.  Beat in the bread flour until smooth.  Gradually add sufficient unbleached flour to form a soft, workable dough that pulls away from sides of the bowl.  Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.  Round into a ball and place in a warm buttered bowl, turning to coat the top.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Butter three 8 1/2 –inch loaf pans.  Punch down the dough, turn out on a lightly floured board, and knead lightly.  Divide into 3 equal portions.  Mold 3 regular loaves and place in pans.  Cover the loaves and allow to rise just to edges of pan. 

Preheat oven to 350F.  Bake the loaves 30-35 minutes.  Let cool on wire racks.

From America’s Bread Book by Mary Gubser.

MY NOTE:    I sometimes change the recipe as followed: (1) use a total of 2 cups warm potato water instead of milk, but put in ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder for the milk (2) use 2 cups packed riced potato 

POTATO WATER – Peel and cut about 2-3 large potatoes into 1–inch dice.  Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover well with water.  Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until very tender.  Drain the potato water and let cool to 100-105F.  Rice the potatoes to use.