Rustic Potato Bread

In the 18th century, wheat was in short supply for many years due to crop failures in Europe. The rich were able to pay the high prices for imported wheat, but the working poor were not. The working poor demanded, nearly rioting for so called "white bread". Price controls for bread were instituted and in fact remained for nearly 200 years. However, it did not change the fact that the wheat crop was nearly non-existent.

Bakers tried many different ingredients such as peas, barley and corn to replace wheat with, but they did not satisfy the desire for "white bread". Can you imagine the flavor and color of bread made from green peas? However, bakers were able to use potatoes with some success. 

I recently purchased French bread from the store. Even though it was a great price it wasn't great bread. It wasn't great bread before, but it is even worse than before. It also turned moldy within a few days. I think they must have figured out how to put more cellulose in the recipe. This is probably why they were able to lower the price from its record price hike. Here is what the AI had to say about it:

Cellulose in bread is often made from wood pulp or cotton lint: 

• Wood pulp: Cellulose is a plant fiber that's extracted from wood by grinding it up. 
• Cotton lint: Cotton is a good source of cellulose in its purest form. 

Cellulose is a common food additive that's used to add texture and fiber to many foods, including bread, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, and barbecue sauce. It's also found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and cereals. 

Cellulose is a safe, inexpensive carbohydrate that's chemically inert and doesn't break down during digestion. In large quantities, it can provide dietary bulk and may have a laxative effect.

GROSS!!!

I have added various ingredients in the past to my basic bread recipe in small amounts, but nothing that can't be digested. Today I decided to use a large portion of dry instant mashed potatoes in my recipe to make potato bread and it turned out beautifully. I replaced one cup of flour for one cup of instant mashed potatoes. I added the instant potatoes into the milk mixture and mixed it until it was well combined. I had to work the dough for several minutes longer adding more flour until the mixture formed a lovely soft workable dough ball. 

I decided to make rustic loaves instead of sandwich loaves due to the added density of the potatoes. The rustic loaves turned out beautifully. The crusty outside and the soft crumb is the perfect combination. I was overly worried because this dough can also be baked in 3 loaf pans for perfect sandwich bread. Just adjust the temperature to 400* and bake for 30 minutes or until done. 

I scored both loaves with different designs.

Scoring the loaves allows steam to escape during the baking process.
Loaves are scored in many different ways in communities that use communal ovens
to make the identity of the baked bread known to its' owners.

Here is the link to my Basic White Bread. To make Potato Bread, replace 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of instant mashed potatoes. Plain boiled potatoes mashed can also be used. Just remember, the amount of flour used may need to be adjusted. For crusty loaves, bake in a pre-heated oven in a pre-heated Dutch oven lined with parchment paper at 450* for 30 minutes with the lid on. After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 400*, remove the lid and continue baking until deep golden brown. I baked mine for an additional 4 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing. This recipe makes two rustic loaves or 3 loaves of sandwich bread.

Enjoy,

Mrs. Smith