THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS aromatic loaf is Kartoffelbrot, the traditional German potato bread made with both wheat and rye. There’s a chewy hominess to its dense texture, and dotting it with caraway seeds makes it taste like a gluten-free version of rye bread. Many European cuisines have some variation on potato bread because the lowly potato, native to the New World, became a staple of peasant food across the Atlantic by the end of the sixteenth century. Some recipes today call for dried potato flakes instead of real mashed potatoes, but I don’t think the results are as satisfying. A slice of this bread turns a bowl of thick vegetable soup into a truly satisfying meal.
MAKES 1 LOAF
1 (8-ounce/227 g) russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch/2.5 cm cubes
¾ cup/178 ml whole milk
4 tablespoons (½ stick)/56 g unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon/4.5 g salt
2¼ teaspoons/7 g active dry yeast
1 tablespoon/13 g granulated sugar
1¼ cups/198 g brown rice flour
¾ cup/95 g sorghum flour
⅔ cup/85 g cornstarch
½ cup/85 g potato starch
¼ cup/30 g garbanzo bean flour
2 tablespoons/8.5 g nonfat dried milk powder
1 teaspoon/9 g xanthan gum
1 tablespoon/7 g caraway seeds, divided
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon/15 ml heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon/18 g coarse sea salt
Spray the inside of a 9 × 5-inch/23 × 11 cm loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.
Place the potato in a saucepan and cover it by cold salted water by 1 inch/2.5 cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potato cubes are very tender when pierced by a paring knife. While the potato boils, combine the milk, butter, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the butter melts, stirring frequently.
Drain the potato, reserving ½ cup/118 ml of the water. Add the milk mixture to the potato and mash well, using a potato masher. Set aside.
Reheat the potato water, if necessary, to a temperature of 110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C. Combine the yeast, sugar, and potato water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while the yeast proofs. Combine the rice flour, sorghum flour, cornstarch, potato starch, garbanzo bean flour, milk powder, and xanthan gum in a mixing bowl and whisk well.
When the yeast looks frothy add the mashed potato and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has the consistency of a thick cake batter that would require spreading in a cake pan; it is too thick to pour. Beat in 2 teaspoons/2.3 g of the caraway seeds.
Lightly grease the inside of a large mixing bowl with vegetable oil or softened butter. Scrape the dough out of the mixer bowl into the greased bowl, smoothing the top with moistened fingers or a rubber spatula dipped in water. Cover the bowl loosely with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and place it in a warm, draft-free spot. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula dipped in water, and cover the pan with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow the bread to rise in a warm place for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it reaches ½ inch/1.25 cm from the top of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C toward the end of the rising time.
Beat the egg and cream together in a small bowl and brush the egg mixture on the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the remaining caraway seeds and coarse salt over the egg mixture.
Covering the loaf loosely with aluminum foil after 30 minutes, bake the bread for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown, the top is firm, and it has reached an internal temperature of 195°F/91°C on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. Remove it from the loaf pan by running a spatula around the rim and invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
NOTE:
The bread is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
VARIATION:
• Substitute fennel seeds for the caraway seeds, and add 1 teaspoon/0.8 g of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon/0.7 g of dried to the dough.