Salt Rising Bread

3 medium potatoes -- pared and cut up

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tlbsps sugar

2 packages active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cooking oil

2 teaspoons salt

8 cups all-purpose flour -- (up to 81/4)

Cook potatoes, covered, in 6 cups unsalted water until tender; drain, reserving 5 cups cooking water. Cool. (Use potatoes for another purpose.) To make starter, combine the 1/2 cup flour, the 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 cup of the reserved potato water, and the yeast. Cover; let stand in warm place several hours. Add the remaining 4 cups potato water and the 1/2 cup sugar. Cover; let stand in warm place overnight.

Next day, stir starter; remove 1 cup. Add 2 tablespoons sugar to the 1 cup starter; pour into pint jar. Cover; store in refrigerator until ready to use. To the remaining starter (4 cups), add oil, salt and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Place in large greased bowl. Let rise in warm place till double, about 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Stir down. Place in greased 12x5-1/2 inch dishpan. Let rise till nearly double, about 1 hour. Bake in 350 degree oven for 60 to 70 minutes. Or, divide dough in thirds. Place in three greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans or three greased 1-quart casseroles. Let rise till nearly double. Bake in 375 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes.

To use reserved starter, proceed as before except substitute the 1 cup reserved starter for the 1 cup potato water.

Scanned, Busted & Proofed by Gene Johnston (ejohnston@mailexcite.com)