Recipe - Salt-Rising Bread

3 One half cup Thinly cut or sliced up new potatoes
5 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon Honey
2 tablespoon Yellow cornmeal
4 cup Boiling water
1 teaspoon Baking soda
8 cup Allpurpose flour
1 cup Milk
2 tablespoon Olive oil

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. Place potatoes, 3 teaspoons salt, honey and cornmeal
in a stainless steel bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover with a cloth
and let stand for about 15 hours. Maintain temperature at about 90F. Drain
and discard the potatoes. Reserve the water. Place baking soda, remaining 2
teaspoons salt and 3 cups of flour in a mixer, turn to slow speed and add
the potato water. Beat about 5 minutes. Scrape the "sponge" into a mixing
bowl, cover with a damp cloth, place in a warm part of the kitchen and let
rise until bubbles form, about 1 One half hours. Meanwhile, combine milk and
olive oil in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and immediately remove from
the heat. Let cool to lukewarm. Replace the sponge in the mixing bowl, add
the milk and slowly incorporate remaining 5 cups of flour. Knead with a
dough hook for 7 minutes. If dough seems too sticky, add up to Three fourths cup
additional flour. Divide dough in 3 and place in greased loaf pans. Cover
with a damp towel, place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in
volume. Bake for about 1 hour.

Makes 3 Loaves

MICHAEL ROBERTS PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini