Hungarian Potato Bread

Category: Yeast Bread
Yield: 21 breads @ 900 g (2 lbs) each

Method:

• * Cook 2000 g of peeled raw potatoes in a good amount of water until they fall apart. Drain and reserve the water. Add 1000ml of tap water to the potatoes and mix until smooth. Cool.
** Use all of the reserved liquid as part of the total water.

• Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl in an upright mixer. With the dough hook mix on first gear for three minutes (pick-up stage). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and check the dough consistency. Restart in third gear for seven more minutes.

• Lightly dust the surface of a workbench and place the dough onto the surface. Cover to prevent the dough from drying out. Bench rest for 10 minutes. Punch the dough down and fold the dough over to release the gases and supply the yeast with new food. Bench rest an additional 10 minutes.




• Divide into 900g (32 oz) pieces, round and cover. After 10 minutes bench rest, shape the bread again into ovals. Place into prepared proofing baskets, which have been dusted with rye flour. Place seam up into baskets.

• Proof at low humidity 30-35C (88-95°F) until the dough is doubled in size.

• Turn over onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Dock and score five times.

• Bake in a preheated 232°C (450°F) oven with two seconds of steam. Once the bread is placed into the oven reduce the heat to 190°C (375°F). Bake for +- 30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 82°C (180°F) is reached. Open the damper the last ten minutes of the baking process to achieve a good crust.

• Remove the bread from the sheet pans. Place on cooling rack and allow the bread to cool down to 38°C (100°F) before slicing or wrapping.



History:
• Caraway Seeds: The small fruit of the aromatic herb Carum carvi. It is shaped like a sickle and possesses an aromatic smell and a warm, distinctive taste. It is used to flavor bread and pastry products.

• Potato: The edible starchy tuber of the American plant, Solanum tuberosum, that is cultivated worldwide in most temperate regions as an accepted staple food. It consists on an average of 75% moisture, 2% protein, 20% starch, and 3% lipids, fiber and ash.

• Paprika: Paprika always refers to a dehydrated, ground product. The brilliant red color comes from the dried pods (fruit) of the plant species Capsicum annuum L. One of paprika’s interesting attributes is its high content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid); it also contains vitamin A. Hungarian paprika is bright red and has a distinctive flavor, used as a seasoning as well as coloring agent.

Hints and Tricks of the trade:

• Keep paprika cool and dry. Cool means no higher that 20°C (68°F) and dry is no higher than 60% relative humidity. If possible, cold storage, 0°C - 7°C (32°F to 45°F), is highly recommended for paprika. At 21°C -27°C (70°F to 80°F), paprika will lose about 1% of its color every 10 days. At higher temperatures, losses are even more rapid. In cold storage, however, paprika’s color loss is reduced to ½% every 10 days and therefore, it can be held satisfactorily for up to 6 months. Paprika is light sensitive and need to be protected against direct exposure to sunlight and florescent lights.

Notes:

• 13.5 teaspoons of caraway seed equals 1 ounce.
• 13.5 teaspoons of paprika equals 1 ounce.
• Starch from wheat and potatoes granules absorb water that is present and form a gel (gelatinize). Some of the starches change to malt sugar and dextrin upon which yeast feeds and forms carbon dioxide that expands the dough.

Varieties:

• This dough makes great individual buns/ rolls and is great for baguette style breads.

Guidelines:

• An equal amount of up to 1.5 % of caraway seed and Hungarian paprika, shown good results.

Special equipment needed:
• Proofing baskets
• Docker
• Bread Scoring knife

Chef Klaus Tenbergen, CMB, CEPC, ASBPB, MSACA
Program Chair - Baking & Pastry Arts / Assistant Professor
Kendall College "The School of Culinary Arts"
2408 Orrington Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
Tel 847-448-2308
ktenbergen@kendall.edu
www.kendall.edu

Steve Barnhart, C.C., C.J.B., graduate in 2004 with a BA in Culinary Management from Kendall College “The School of Culinary Arts” in Chicago, Illinois. He is currently the production manager for Bennison’s Bakery in Evanston, Illinois.