Sheila needed to have a good potato bread recipe right away, so I sent
this directly to her so she'd have it in time. Here it is for any of you who
also might be interested.
This is the potato bread I like best. It's from Bernard Clayton's "New
Complete Book of Breads."
Potato Bread
2 small- to medium-sized potatoes
2 cups water (WARNING: I have a note written to myself on a post-it note on
this page, saying that even 1 1/2 cup water was too much.)
5 cups bread or all purpose flour (approximately)
2 pkgs. dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Boil the peeled potatoes in the water. Add nothing to the potatoes
during cooking. Pour off the liquid and reserve. (The recipe says to add
more water if necessary to get 1 3/4 cups potato water. I haven't made this
in a while, but I think that what I used to do was just use whatever water
was left after cooking the potatoes and that was probably plenty.) Rice or
mash the potatoes and set aside.
Measure 3 cups flour into a mixing or mixer bowl, and add the yeast,
salt, and sugar. Blend. Into a saucepan pour the potato water, the butter,
and potatoes. Place over medium heat until the liquid is hot (120 degrees)
to the touch, and the butter has softened or melted. Add to the flour
mixture.
Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a rough mass, and beat with a
wooden spoon for 100 strokes or use a dough hook for 3 minutes in the mixer
until the dough is smooth. Knead for 10 minutes.
Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and allow to
rise for 1 1/2 hr. or until doubled in volume.
Punch down dough and divide into two equal pieces. Shape into loaves and
allow to rise again for about 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400F before
baking.
Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 and
continue baking 25 minutes or until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow
when the bottom crust is tapped.
I used to cut this recipe in half and make it in the food processor,
which made the liquid amount much easier to deal with--I just added whatever
was necessary to give the dough the right consistency. I'm sure that's why I
haven't had any trouble with the recipe even though I think the flour/liquid
ratio is off. You might want to make it in the food processor, too, if you
have one, especially if yours is big enough to accomodate the entire recipe.
It really is delicious bread.
Kris