What is potato bread?
It has the most wonderful crust, and the light but firm structure, with generous craggy holes make for the most fantastic toast. (All those nooks and crannies? Perfect butter and jam receptacles.)
With all of the artisan breads available at the markets these days it's a wonder anyone makes their own bread anymore. But I have yet to find freshly baked potato bread at the market, and making it at home is easy, especially if you have a mixer or bread machine.
Enjoy Delicious REAL Bread without Worrying about Your Health, Your Blood Sugar... or Your Waistline!
INGREDIENTS:
MAKES 2 LOAVES- 20ml/4 tsp active dried yeast
- 250ml/8fl oz/1 cup lukewarm milk
- 225g/8oz potatoes, boiled (reserve 250ml/ 8fl oz/1 cup of potato cooking liquid)
- 30ml/2 tablespoon oil
- 20ml/4 tsp salt
- 850-900g/1lb 14oz-2lb/7½-8 cups strong white bread flour.
STEPS:
- Combine the yeast and milk in a large bowl and leave to dissolve, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mash the potatoes.
- Add the potatoes, oil and salt to the yeast mixture and mix well. Stir in the reserved cooking water, then stir in the flour, in six separate batches, to form a stiff dough.
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, 1-1½ hours. Knock back (punch down), then leave to rise for another 40 minutes.
- Grease two 23 x 13cm/9 x 5in loaf tins (pans). Roll the dough into 20 small balls. Place two rows of balls in each tin. Leave until the dough has risen above the rim of the tins.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Bake until the bottoms sound hollow when tapped, 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.