Potato and Rosemary Bread
People are often put off of making bread, actually, it's really easy. The main thing is to allow enough time, for proving.
Bread making, Is something to do? When you're at home, and you've got other things to do in between As long as you've got a timer, reliable scales, a large bowl, handy Ingredients, you're all set.
Bread making can be very therapeutic, also gives you great satisfaction. Homemade bread. Is so much better than commercially produced bread.
Potato bread, originally started by using potatoes when grains became too expensive, there were versions found in France, Germany, and Ireland there are versions globally, but this is one of my favourites, If you're not that fond of Rosemary, you can substitute it with fresh thyme.
Ingredients. This makes an 800grams loaf (or two smaller ones)
200 grammes. Of potatoes. Any variety? Peeled. And cut into chunks.
500 grammes. Which is 1 LB two oz or 3 1/2 measuring cups of strong white bread flour.
2 teaspoons of fine sea salt.
2 teaspoons of fresh chopped Rosemary.
250 ML, (9 fluid ounces or one cup of water.)
2 teaspoons yeast (or 7 grams of dried or fast acting yeast.)
1 teaspoon of brown sugar or honey.
3 Teaspoons of olive oil.
Method.
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain them and mash them, Let them cool
Place the dried yeast or crumble the fresh yeast into a cup or jug, add the water which should be blood warm, not too hot, not too cold, stir in the sugar or honey cover with a bit of cling film. and let it sit for about 5 minutes, you will know the yeast has acted when it looks a bit foamy.
In a large bowl, place the flour, salt, potatoes, mix them together well, and make well, or a cavity in the centre. Add the yeast and the oil into the well and stir it together making a dough.
If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can put all the ingredients into the mixer. and start the dough off slowly.
Don't be worried if this looks a bit messy or sticky. It will come together as the flour becomes incorporated into the rest of the mixture.
Lightly flour a clean dry kitchen surface, turn out the dough, kneed for about 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a clean bowl, It's better to lightly oil the bowl first. Cover it. With clean tea towels, I'm place somewhere out of draft and slightly warm, to prove for about an hour and a quarter. until it has doubled in size.
Knock The dough back. To let out the air, then turn it again onto a surface, allow it to rest for about 5 minutes, lightly oil the loaf tins, place the shaped loaves into the tins. Cover & leave the bread for another hour to prove, It will be doubled in size again.
Preheat your oven to 220 c. 425 F or gas mark 7.
Put a roasting tray in the bottom of the oven so it gets very hot
Just before you put the bread in the oven, put some ice cubes or some ice-cold water in the roasting tray and place your bread to bake above this the steam will create a nice crusty top to your bread.
Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, (You will know the breads done when the top is golden brown and the base sounds hollow when you tap on it.)
This bread is a wonderful accompaniment to winter soups and stews.
You can make the dough into rolls then bake them for about 15 minutes. This bread freezes very well.