Carl Goh's Bread

When I needed to make bread today, I thought I would look for something different, yet nice and easy.

I got the "something different" part, but this is a 5 hour recipe. Not what I expected..

Carl Gohs' Bread
James Beard, Beard on Bread
2 loaves

24 gr yeast (or 2 tbs + 3/4 tsp)
1/2 cup water, 105F to 115F
1 tbs brown sugar
5 cups flour
1 medium potato
2 cups water
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup powdered milk
4 tsp salt (original recipe stated 5 tsp, but that's a lot of salt)

In a large bowl, combine yeast, brown sugar and water. Proof the yeast until it gets a 2" head, about 20 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup flour and stir until it's a smooth paste.  Set this sponge aside to rise for about 60 minutes.Each time it doubles in bulk, stir it down.

Wash and cut unpeeled potato into pieces. Boil potato until it is done. SAVING the water, peel and mash potato fine, either by pushing through a fine sieve as I did our through a potato rice with fine holes. You want a smooth potato paste.

Measure 1 1/2 cups potato water, adding tap water as needed.  Add the mashed potato to the water and set aside to cool.

Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, wheat germ, dried milk and salt.  Stir well.

When potato mixture has cooled and yeast mixture has been deflated at least two times, add both to the flour mixture.

Stir until all ingredients are well blended.  Cover and set aside to rise 90 to 105 minutes (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours)

Spread 1 cup of flour in a 14" circle on your kneading surface. Empty the dough onto the circle. Top the dough with another 1 cup of flour. Gradually knead all the flour on the board into your dough, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Grease your bowl with butter. Return the dough ball to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Let rise about 60 to 70 minutes until doubled in bulk.

Grease two 9x5 loaf pans. Divide in two and form into loaves.

Place in greased loaf pans and let rise again for 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Immediately reduce heat to 400 degrees when you put the bread into the oven.

Bake for 40 minutes.
Note:
The author recommends twisting each loaf after it has been formed into a loaf shape, before the last rise. Take the dough in each hand and lightly twist like you would ring out a washcloth. Place in loaf pan and let rise.