Hungarian Potato Bread with Caraway Seeds

Talk about nose! This bread sure has it. The bread is moist and heavy in texture, perfect for dunking into soup or stews. Its flavor improves with age and its tight texture makes for great toast. It cries for a great hunk of cheese to keep it company on the bread board. Its simple to make, though it does require some kneading. A great recipe to have on file for cold winter nights and soup suppers.

Hungarian Potato Bread with Caraway Seeds

Ingredients:
1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups warm water, divided use
7-1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour + flour for kneading and dusting
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 cup unseasoned mashed potatoes

Directions:
1) Take off your rings. Place 1/2 cup water in a large bowl; add yeast and 3 tablespoons flour; whisk to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups warm water. Stir in salt and caraway seeds. Add 4 cups all-purpose flour and beat for about 100 strokes with a wooden spoon, or until mixture sheets on spoon. Stir in remainder of flour and mashed potatoes; mix well using a spoon or hands. Turn onto a floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed, for about 15 minutes, or until the dough is really elastic. Shape into a ball. Oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat all surfaces with oil. Let rise until double in bulk, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down and knead for about 5 minutes. Shape into a round loaf; place in a greased 12-inch ovenproof skillet and let rise for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
2) Move a rack to middle third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush surface of loaf with water; use a razor to cut a 1/2-inch deep cross on the surface of loaf. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until brown and top sounds hollow when thumped. Dust top of bread with flour. Cool on a rack. Yield: 1 large loaf.

I'm sending this recipe to Susan at Wild Yeast who sponsors Yeast Spotting.