Potato Bread (Kartoflany Chleb)

byZula's Note:

I received this through a recipe swap in Home Cooking magazine by a very nice gentleman named Billie A Wesolowski. I'm very thankful to him for such a great recipe. This makes a very delicious loaf of bread. A family favorite since 1999. I've never tried it with the raisins though.

• Total Time: 3 hrs
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 loaves

• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup potato water
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 8 cups flour
• 3 eggs, slghtly beaten
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1 cup golden raisin (optional)

Directions:

1. Scald milk and potato water.
2. Add butter, salt and sugar.
3. Let stand until lukewarm.
4. Sprinkle warm water over yeast.
5. Let stand to make sponge.
6. Put 4 cups flour in large bowl.
7. Add milk mixture, eggs, mashed potatos, raisins and yeast.
8. Beat until smooth.
9. Add remaining flour. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
10. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
11. Cover. let rise until double (about 1 1/2-2 hrs.).
12. Punch dough down. Divide in half. Shape into 2 loaves. Place each into a greased baking pan. Cover. Let rise until almost doubled - about 45 minutes.
13. Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
14. Cool on wire rack, laying loaf on it's side.
15. Just before removing from pans, brush tops with melted butter.
16. Makes 2 (9 by 5") loaves or 10 mini loaves.

Reviews

[Buster's friend]

Halved this recipe to be able to mix in my trusty old ABM. Added 2 T freshly snipped rosemary leaves & used 1/2 bread flour with 1T vital wheat gluten/vitC but otherwise made as directed - but halved. Something magical about sultanas & fresh rosemary. This bread rose beautifully & dramatically - shaped after first rise into one loaf, slashed 1/2 way through second rise (fast!) & baked at 350 degrees F for 52 minutes. What a big beautiful loaf! Chewy crispy crust with scattered blisters - chewy but not tough inside. Lovely browning of crust which contrasted with the flour dusting. Baked on preheated stone scattered with cornmeal. Thank you Hobby for a keeper that we will use whenever we have leftover potato (saving potato water too!) edit - have made this bread 4 times since original review - I now make 2 loaves with the 1/2 recipe & they are good sized! Love this recipe - it goes so well with so many foods - friends actually ask me to make them another loaf (making a batch now)! Think I will break out the Electrolux to make a full sized batch - but will shape into 4 loaves. Wonderful bread - esp. with the raisins & rosemary!

[ColoradoCookin']

This yields a good loaf of bread. It's firm but tender. A bit too bland, it needs something. I don't know what yet though. Tasted just a little "potato-ey" compared to white bread. I baked mine in rounds on a hearth stone, powdering the tops lightly with flour for a rustic look. My advice on it is to read it carefully, a couple places in the directions I got turned around. I was able to fix it though. Thank you for the recipe, I like this bread.. and it made great french toast.