Potato Bread is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, but once you’ve made this bread, you’ll go to the trouble of making mashed potatoes just for a couple of loaves. This is a light, flavorful loaf with a nice texture. It is wonderful toasted and also makes nice sandwich bread. 2 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled (enough for I cup mashed potatoes)
MAKES: 2 loaves
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm potato water
- 6 to 6 1/2 cups unbleached white flour (or 3 cups whole wheat and 3 cups unbleached white)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Boil and mash potatoes, and set them aside to cool. Reserve 1 1/2 cups water from cooking potatoes.
- Dissolve yeast in warm water.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, honey, and salt. Pour in potato water, stirring until butter melts. Whisk in mashed potatoes. Combine dissolved yeast with mashed potato mixture.
- Add flour 1 cup at a time until dough will hold together in a ball. Turn dough onto floured surface. Knead, adding more flour until dough is not sticky and feels soft and pliable.
- When dough is fully kneaded, put in an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel, and move the bowl to a warm place to rise. Raise 1 1/2 hours until doubled. Punch down and knead for a minute or so to get out any air bubbles. Cut in half and shape into 2 loaves, and put them in buttered loaf pans. Cover pans and let sit until dough doubles, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Bake in preheated 400° oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for an additional 25 minutes. For crustier bread, remove the loaves from their pans and put them directly on oven shelves for 5 more minutes. Loaves will be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
