Potato and Cumin Bread

In an attempt to make a "masala" or spicy bread, I chose to make a potato bread with cumin and green chillies. I didn't know that potato bread is really hard. It requires a lot more kneading and is far more sticky than regular bread and it just doesn't behave! This was a difficult bread for me, but I thought the end result was pretty good.


Potato and Cumin Bread with Green Chillies

4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups Mashed Potatoes (about 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed - reserve the water that the potatoes are cooked in)
4 tsp Salt (I know it sounds like a lot, but I still felt that the bread didn't have enough salt)
1/2 cup Milk
4 Green Chillies, chopped and sauteed in a little oil
1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin Powder (optional)
400 ml water (200 ml potato water + 200 ml regular water)

Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the mashed potato and combine. Add the rest of the ingredients. Combine loosely in the bowl. Empty the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and silky.

Place in an oiled bowl and cover loosely with a tea towel. Allow to rise to double its size (about 1 1/2 - 2 hours). Again, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press gently and knead for 2 minutes. The dough will still be very sticky - this is probably because the mashed potatoes make it so. I don't think adding flour helps - and it certainly makes the loaf very dense, so try not to add too much, just enough to keep your fingers and the counter from the sticking to the dough.

Shape the dough (I made a free form loaf) on the baking tray or in a loaf pan. Cover with the tea towel and allow to proof for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 230 deg C.


Bake for 35-40 mts. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Bread is usually still cooking when taken out of the oven, so its not a great idea to slice into it immediately. If you do, you will see that its "gummy" and looks undercooked. Cooling for 5 minutes or longer is a good idea for most breads.







This is for Zorra @ 1x umruhren bitte for World Bread Day.