Potato Bread
Last week a friend left a comment asking for my potato bread recipe.
This recipe is adapted from a booklet titled: Fleischmann's Bake-it-easy Yeast Book (printed about 1972). It is a very good, detailed book ... my copy was published before 'rapid-rise' yeast and bread machines became so popular in the early 1990's ... it's worth scouting out online or at book sales.
Old-Fashioned Potato Loaves (makes two loaves)
1 medium potato
water
hot tap water
2 packages active dry yeast (equal to 4-1/2 teaspoons of traditional dry yeast)
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt (I use 2 teaspoons)
1 cup warm milk (105F-115F 40C - 45C)
6-1/2 to 7-1/2 cups unsifted flour (I use organic, unbromated, unbleached)
flour
Peel and dice the potato ... boil in water to cover until tender, approximately 20 minutes; reserving liquid. Add hot tap water to potato liquid to make one cup; cool to warm (105F-115F. 40C to 45C) Mash potato; set aside.
Pour warm potato water into large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add butter, sugar and salt. Stir in mashed potato, warm milk and three cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.
Punch dough down; turn over in bowl. cover and let rise again about 20 minutes.
Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured board; divide in half. Roll each half to a 14 x 9 inch rectangle. Shape into loaves. Place in 2 greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans. cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes.
Dust loaves with flour. Bake at 375F (190C), 35 to 40 minutes, or until done. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.
I actually enjoy kneading the dough ... it's great exercise for your hands and arms. Don't be shy .. give it a try without a bread machine/mixer with bread hook :) This is how our grandmother's kept their hands in good shape.
As you can see from my photo, I baked one loaf in a bread pan .. and the other I baked on a cookie sheet .. somehow my nice bread pans got misplaced when we moved and I am making do with what I have on hand.
9 comments:
Thanks for posting the recipe. I want to focus on bread baking skills this fall.
I love potato bread! This one looks really good. I love the new look of your blog and the vintage picture of your grandparents.
I've never had potatoe bread, but it certainly does look delicious. I'm going to try it over here in England and see what the result is. I had mixed results with bread making when I was in Tennessee. I suppose the flour and butter etc. are different. Maybe the loaf will look different too. We'll see. Can't wait to try it. Thank you for showing us this lovely recipe.
Blessings, Star
I don't have a bread machine or a dough hook, just these two hooks on the end of my arms!
Looks tasty..a winter must try recipe!
Dear Mrs. Mac,
I will try the recipe and in due time let you know how it went.
My hands and arms haven't been usable for kneading dough, but I have a bread baker machine.
That'll have to do.
From Felisol
PS Looked up friend, and found it was me.
I consider that an honor.
Thanks.
From Felisol
Thank you for sharing the recipe Mrs Mac. I will try it and let you know
"I actually enjoy kneading the dough ... it's great exercise for your hands and arms. Don't be shy .. give it a try without a bread machine/mixer with bread hook :) This is how our grandmother's kept their hands in good shape."
Also it's supposed to be good for your, um, pectoral muscles. And anything that might be on top of those muscles.
Hey, I don't make up the news, I just report it.
Oh YUM! I used to make bread all the time. There's an art to it huh? When we started eating more sprouted and fermented foods I quit making bread so much and I miss it!
I don't think I've spent much time here on your blog before... what a lovely place to browse. I love that you like to cook and preserve and make bread and make soap... and I put soap on pretty little dishes too - but I like your little sponge to keep it from getting slimy - great idea!
Have a lovely day.
Lynnette
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