Potato Bread

Most Irish breads use buttermilk as a leavening agent, but potato bread uses a simple starter that’s made the night before you’re ready to bake. With this bread we substitute a portion of flour with cooked potatoes. The result is a seriously soft loaf that is perfect for dipping in broth or slathering with Irish butter.

For the Starter:

2 1/4 c rye flour (can sub 2 c all-purpose flour)

1/4 teaspoon dried yeast

To make the starter, add flour and yeast to a mixing bowl with 7 fl oz (scant 1 c) warm water and stir together. Cover and leave to ferment overnight in a cool place.

For the Dough:

14 oz (~4) potatoes, cooked and mashed

3 1/3 c all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tablespoon salt

2 3/4 teaspoons dried yeast

To make the dough, combine potatoes, flour, and salt in a bowl. Add the fermented starter to dough. Add the yeast to 1 2/3 c warm water and mix. Then gradually add yeast mixture to dough and mix until smooth.

Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 10 minutes (or place in Kitchen-Aid mixer and knead for 10 min with dough hook). Transfer the dough to a floured mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 45 minutes in a warm place.

Punch down the dough and fold it over 4 times. Shape into 2 large circular loaves and transfer to 2 separate baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place a dish towel over each loaf and let rise until doubled in size (~30 min).

Preheat oven to 425 F. Bake for 15 min. Reduce the oven to 350 F and bake until cooked through (another 10-15 min). Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

*Makes 2 Loaves