Bread From Dry Yeast

Ingredients

• 1 good-sized raw potato
• 1 pint boiling water
• 1 tablespoon melted lard
• ½ dry yeast-cake
• ½ tablespoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 quarts flour

Directions

1. Boil the potato, drain, and mash it until smooth. Pour the boiling water over the mashed potato and stir until creamy. Set aside in a bowl.

2. Soak the yeast-cake in ½ cup lukewarm water.

3. At 4 PM, combine the potato mixture and soaked yeast in a tin or earthen pitcher. Stir in enough flour to make a very thick batter.

4. Set the batter to rise in a warm place (at least 75°F) until light and spongy by 9 AM.

5. In a bread pan, mix 2 quarts of flour with the melted lard. Make a well in the center and add the sponge from the pitcher.

6. Knead the dough until it forms a round ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Knead for at least 20 minutes.

7. Return the dough to the pan, cover with a thick cloth, and let it rise in a warm place.

8. In the morning, punch down the dough, divide it into three parts, and shape each into a smooth loaf. Place in separate pans and let rise in a warm place.