Recipe: Instant potato sourdough bread

INSTANT POTATO SOURDOUGH BREAD

STARTER:

3 packets yeast
1 cup warm water
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp instant mashed-potato flakes

Combine ingredients. Let stand on counter for 8-12 hours, then refrigerate for at lease 3 days and no longer than 5 days. Remove from refrigerator and follow Step One. The first feeding of starter doesn't usually produce a sweet-enough bread. Discard 1 cup and refrigerate as in Step One. The next batch will produce great bread.

STEP ONE:

3/4 cup sugar
1 cut water
3 Tbsp instant mashed potato flakes

Add these ingredients to starter. After feeding, let starter stand at room temperature for 8-12 hours. Starter will be very bubbly. Remove 1-1/2 cups to make bread and return remaining starter to refrigerator. Keep in refrigerator 3-7 days and feed again. If you're not making bread, you may throw away 1 cup of the starter. You must remove 1 cup every time you feed the starter.

STEP TWO (MAKING THE BREAD):

1-1/2 cups starter
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
1 cup warm water
6 cups bread flour or unbleached white flour
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl to make a stiff batter.

Grease another bowl and transfer dough to that bowl, Turn dough over (greased side up) and cover lightly with foil. Let stand overnight, at least 8 hours. Do not refrigerate.

Step Three:

The next morning, punch down dough and knead 8-10 times. Divide dough into 2 loaves and put into 2 greased loaf pans. Brush tops with vegetable oil. Cover with wax paper and let rise at least 5 hours (and as long as all day). Dough rises very slowly.

Step Four:

Bake in 350 degree over for 30-45 minutes. Remove and brush with butter, cool on rack. Wrap well and store. This keeps best in the refrigerator, and it freezes well.

Nutritional analysis per slice, figuring 10 slices per loaf: 240 calories, 6 grams fat, 42 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 0 cholesterol, 123 milligrams sodium, 23 % of calories from fat.

Variations:

OAT BRAN BREAD: Replace 2 cups four with oat bran flour or cereal and add 1/2 cup rolled oats. This makes a very coarse bread that does not rise as much, but it is great for sandwiches.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: Replace 2 cups flour with whole-wheat flour or replace all the four with whole-wheat-blend flour. You can also mix oat bran with whole-wheat flour. To do that, use 1 cup bran, 2 cups whole wheat and 3 cups bread flour. This bread is great for toast or sandwiches.

CINNAMON BREAD: Make the recipe for white bread. Before putting loaves in pan, flatten dough into a circle and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll bread up and place in loaf pans...bake bread in same way.

NOTATION: Make the recipe for sourdough starter and share it with a friend. It will take a few days to get it started, but will be worth the effort in the long run.