Transylvania-German bread

Instructions

Pre-ferment

1. Prepare the potatoes: Wash, boil in salted water, leave to cool.
2. Mix all the ingredients for the starter dough in a small bowl. Cover and leave to ferment for 8-12 hours.

Main dough

1. Grate/chop the potatoes (the former gives a homogeneous dough, whereas chopping leads to small pieces in the bread).
2. Place all the ingredients up to and including the salt in a kneading bowl.
3. Knead for approx. 5 minutes with ~3/4 of the water to form a slightly firmer dough.
4. Now add the salt and incorporate the remaining water a little at a time. Continue kneading for approx. 15 minutes or until the window test is successful.
5. Leave the dough to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
6. Heat the cast iron pot and oven at 250°C top/bottom heat.
7. Fold and stretch (fold in the dough and press together again, repeat until a round shape is formed).
8. Leave to rise in a floured proofing basket for a further 25 minutes.
9. Turn the loaf out of the basket, cut well and place the loaf in the preheated cast iron pot. Place in the oven with the lid on.
10. After 10 minutes, switch down to 230 °C and bake for a further 50 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes and bake until well browned.
11. Leave to cool well! (preferably overnight)