MASHED POTATO BREAD
- 1 9 to 11-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups (or more) water
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
- 2 Tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 3/4 cups (about) unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 large egg white, beaten to blend
Make the potato sourdough starter for this tender, crusty bread one day ahead.
Boil potato in 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan until quite tender, about 15 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Strain cooking liquid into sizeable bowl; set aside and take a deep breath. Cool liquid to 105°F to 115°F. Mash potato in small bowl until smooth. Combine mashed potato, 1 teaspoon yeast and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid. Cover bowl with plastic and let starter stand at room temperature overnight.
Pour 1/4 cup lukewarm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon yeast over; stir to blend. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Stir yeast mixture into starter. Stir in melted butter, honey and salt. Mix in whole wheat flour. Mix in enough all purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead until smooth and stretchy, about 4 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Form dough into ball.
Butter a sizeable bowl. Place dough in the bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Lightly flour 2 large baking sheets.
Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Divide dough into two equal parts. Roll each half between palms and work surface into a 14-inch-long loaf. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Cover with dry towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 30 minutes (be patient, you rascal).
Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven and preheat to 500°F. Using a sharp knife, cut 5 diagonal slashes in the surface of each loaf. Brush loaves with egg white. Bake loaves for approximately ten minutes (be patient, you rascal). Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, about 15 minutes longer. Cool on racks and let cool completely.
This can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Wrap loaves separately in foil, seal in plastic bag and freeze. Thaw loaves, then rewarm, wrapped in foil, in 350°F oven for 15 minutes (be patient, you rascal).
Makes 2 loaves.
Note: The original recipe for the starter calls for using ALL of the reserved liquid from boiling the potato. However, this seems to make the dough much too sticky and difficult to handle. More water can be added if necessary, but adding more flour to use up the excess water alters the flavor.
Boil potato in 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan until quite tender, about 15 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Strain cooking liquid into sizeable bowl; set aside and take a deep breath. Cool liquid to 105°F to 115°F. Mash potato in small bowl until smooth. Combine mashed potato, 1 teaspoon yeast and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid. Cover bowl with plastic and let starter stand at room temperature overnight.
Pour 1/4 cup lukewarm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon yeast over; stir to blend. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Stir yeast mixture into starter. Stir in melted butter, honey and salt. Mix in whole wheat flour. Mix in enough all purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Knead until smooth and stretchy, about 4 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Form dough into ball.
Butter a sizeable bowl. Place dough in the bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Lightly flour 2 large baking sheets.
Punch down dough. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes (be patient, you rascal). Divide dough into two equal parts. Roll each half between palms and work surface into a 14-inch-long loaf. Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Cover with dry towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, about 30 minutes (be patient, you rascal).
Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven and preheat to 500°F. Using a sharp knife, cut 5 diagonal slashes in the surface of each loaf. Brush loaves with egg white. Bake loaves for approximately ten minutes (be patient, you rascal). Reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until loaves are brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking, about 15 minutes longer. Cool on racks and let cool completely.
This can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Wrap loaves separately in foil, seal in plastic bag and freeze. Thaw loaves, then rewarm, wrapped in foil, in 350°F oven for 15 minutes (be patient, you rascal).
Makes 2 loaves.
Note: The original recipe for the starter calls for using ALL of the reserved liquid from boiling the potato. However, this seems to make the dough much too sticky and difficult to handle. More water can be added if necessary, but adding more flour to use up the excess water alters the flavor.
Submitted by Nov 26, 2009
15 min
30 min
45 min