Aidann's Baked Potato Bread by Aidann Greenwolfe

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Baked Potato Bread

* I decided to make bread one day and remembered I had a baked potato left over from the night before. If you like crusty bread that's moist and chewy on the inside this is the bread for you. It’s great with any winter soup or stew. *

1 C lukewarm water
1 envelope active-dry yeast
2 pinches of sugar
4 C. unbleached white flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 T Olive Oil
1 T Butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
1 large russet potato baked and mashed, leaving no lumps (2-3 T Milk added while mashing makes it smooth)
6-7 T Milk (depending on consistency)
1 egg white + 1 additional T Milk
Whole caraway seeds

** In a 2 C measuring cup; combine water, yeast, and 2 pinches of sugar. Mix, and set-aside until foaming, about 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl; combine flour, salt, and sugar. Whisk together. Create a well in the center and add the olive oil, butter, mashed potato, and yeast mixture. Mix ingredients folding in the flour with one hand until a dough forms. With the other hand add the milk until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough becomes too wet sprinkle in a bit more flour. If it becomes too dry, add more milk. Knead the dough, folding it onto itself and punching down, for 7-10 min. Use a good amount of force. When the dough looks slightly grainy with air bumps, you are done kneading. Form the dough into a ball and dust the bowl with four. Place the dough back into the bowl and dust it with flour. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and place bowl in a warm and dry area. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size. Punch the dough down and reform into a ball. Recover the bowl and let the dough rise for an additional hour until doubled in size again. *The last 30 min of rising, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small dish, whisk together 1 egg white and additional 1 T milk. Grease or oil a loaf pan or baking sheet well. Place dough in pan, or form it on a cookie sheet in an oblong or round shape, and brush generously with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle caraway seeds on top and gently bush over another thin layer of the egg white mixture. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool to desired temperature on a wire rack with a clean kitchen towel on top. Serve warm, with butter, as a side to soup or stew. Makes 1 loaf.
***Tip: If you don’t have a leftover baked potato, make one in the microwave. Stab a potato several times with a fork and cook it on a microwave safe dish, on high, for 5 minutes. Be sure to let the potato cool completely and remove the skin before proceeding. ***