Potato Bread

I'm discovering that Elizabeth David is a bit like a grandma that you didn't know you had, until you buy or borrow one of her books... You kind of want to roll your eyes while she's (slightly) droning on; but afterwards you regret not listening properly because you realise she is actually a very wise old girl and her advice would have been really useful had you paid proper attention. Her lengthy book on bread has held me captivated for some time now, and this is a brilliant recipe; the loaf is very delicious and airy, and also surprisingly easy to make. I had always associated Potato Bread with saving money, but nowadays can't see there is that much economy to be had from swapping flour for potatoes... the advantage of this loaf is much more that it is tasty, light and works brilliantly for toast, sandwiches, croutons or breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

  • 450g Strong White Bread Flour
  • 120g Potato
  • 15g Yeast (quick)
  • 280ml Water & Milk mixed
  • 20g Maldon Salt

Cook the Potato… a leftover Baked Potato, heated back up and peeled works well; or you boil the Potato and then peel it… just make sure the Potato doesn’t get too wet or absorb too much water whilst cooking

Finely mash or rice the Potato

Mix the Flour and Salt in a bowl

While still hot, mix the Mashed Potato into the Flour and rub together with your fingers until all the Potato is incorporated evenly throughout the Flour

Mix the Yeast into a small amount of Warm Water.  Add this, and the rest of the Water and Milk

Mix and knead as usual for 10 – 15 minutes

Leave to rise, somewhere warm and covered with a clean, damp tea towel or cloth – 1 – 2 hours should do it

Now knock the Dough back and give it another quick knead…

Put it into a loaf tin and leave to rise for a further hour or so; until the Dough has risen to the top of the tin

Cook at 220˚c for 40 – 45 minutes

Cool on a wire rack for half and hour or so before slicing…

This bread is to die for at breakfast time – makes the best tuna or prawn sandwiches – and is the best kind of loaf for using for croutons or breadcrumbs…

From Elizabeth David’s ‘English Bread and Yeast Cookery’

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