Irish Potato Bread Recipe

At Carol's request:

From The Easy Way to Artisan Breads and Pastries by Avner Laskin.

Irish Potato Bread

1 1/4 c water
1 T dry yeast
1 T sugar
1/2 c boiled and mashed potatoes
3 1/2 c bread flour
2 t salt

Additional flour for assorted tasks


1. In the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook attached, mix water, yeast, sugar, mashed potatoes, and flour for 3 minutes at low speed. With the machine running, add salt, switch to medium speed, and knead dough for an additional 6 minutes.

2. Place the dough in a large floured (or buttered) bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rest for 1 hour.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and flatten it with the palm of your hands to remove the air pockets ("punching down").

At this point, the recipe directs you to divide the dough in two and roll each half into balls. You flatten each one to about an inch thickness, then fold the top and the bottom and each side inward to make a 8"x8" square. After it rises for an additional 50 minutes it's cooked on unglazed ceramic tiles or on a pizza stone at 400 for 30 minutes.

I doubled the recipe and cooked both loaves in bread pans, following the same basic instructions, but putting 2 squares in each greased bread pan. I baked them at 425 for about 45 minutes. I covered them with foil toward the end of the baking time so they wouldn't get too dark. Next time I will make a conventional loaf (no weird shapes!).

~Reese