Pumpernickel Bread

Photo: flickr user kochtopf

Ingredients

2 lg. unpeeled potatoes, cooked in water to cover

4 teaspoons salt

5 cups rye flour

6 1/2 cups wheat flour or unbleached white

1 slightly beaten egg

1/2 teaspoon water

1 pkg. yeast

1/2 cup potato water

1 teaspoon honey

3 cups cold water

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup molasses

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

2 tablespoons oil

Preparation

Peel potatoes and rice them while still hot. Measure at least 2 cups of the potatoes and cool slightly. Soften the yeast in the 1/2 cup potato water. Add honey and soak a few minutes.

Combine cold water and corn meal; boil, stirring, until thick. Add molasses, caraway, oil and salt to corn meal. Cool to lukewarm. Add the riced potatoes and yeast mix to the lukewarm corn meal mix; blend. Add rye flour, then wheat flour, reserving enough to knead with.

Knead well; place in greased bowl to rise. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 2 1/2 hours. Punch down; form into 4 round loaves and on a large cookie sheet or 4 pie pans.

For a shiny crust, mix the egg and 1/2 teaspoon water and brush on tops. Prick with fork for design. Let rise for about an hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.