Potatoes in Bread & Other Topics In its 6,000-year history, bread has been adulterated in unnumbered ways because good strong clean wheat flour is a treasure that is really quite rare. When potatoes came to Europe from the New World, canny bakers recognized in them great possibilities for stretching their dough to make more loaves. Incredibly, unlike the usual more dubious additives, a little potato actually made the bread better-lighter, sweeter, better keeping-and potatoes have been used that way ever since.

The only small caution here has to do with a fascinating and somewhat awful little organism called Rope (Bacillus mesentericus). "Ropy" bread was the bane of the old-time bakeries because it would appear without warning and make whole batches of bread useless. The loaves would come out of the oven looking beautiful, and no one would suspect a thing until one was sliced-and had nearly no insides! Just a gooey hole that smelled like an overripe cantaloupe. This has happened in our century, even, and to someone we know.

The villain here is a kind of mold that, although it meets its doom in the oven, produces spores that survive the baking heat. When the loaf begins to cool, the spores grow wildly, with the bread for food. They multiply rapidly inside the loaf-with the results we have described.

Rope contamination of wheat or flour is rare these days. (Our friend's ropy bread was was from bad flour-white flour, lest you think otherwise.) Potatoes, though, can harbor spores on the skin and especially around the eyes, and that is why we suggest that you peel them carefully and remove all questionable parts, then rinse them under running water before cooking to use in bread. An added safety in many of our recipes is the use of cultured milk, which makes the dough a little acid: molds don't thrive in acid media. (In fact, the old bakery manuals say that to get rid of rope you have to remove every speck of flour and scrub the whole place with distilled vinegar.) from bad flour-white flour, lest you think otherwise.) Potatoes, though, can harbor spores on the skin and especially around the eyes, and that is why we suggest that you peel them carefully and remove all questionable parts, then rinse them under running water before cooking to use in bread. An added safety in many of our recipes is the use of cultured milk, which makes the dough a little acid: molds don't thrive in acid media. (In fact, the old bakery manuals say that to get rid of rope you have to remove every speck of flour and scrub the whole place with distilled vinegar.) These days, the phenomenon is exceedingly rare: we have never had rope in any of our kitchens. Don't let the possibility deter you from trying what are surely some of the finest of breads.

Potato breads are bright-tasting, the potato lending a subtle round sweetness. The slice is airy and moist, slightly chewy-perfect for toast and sandwiches. With whole wheat flour, the potato flavor seems to benefit from the mellowing addition of milk, and, except for Murphy's Bread, the potato recipes in this section do include dairy products.

Potato Bread - 1 medium-large potato, about lb (225 g) - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - cup warm water (60 ml) - 1 cup fresh yogurt or b.u.t.termilk (235 ml) - 1 cup hot potato water (235 ml) - 2 tablespoons honey (30 ml) - 2 tablespoons oil (30 ml) (optional) - 6 cups whole wheat bread flour (900 g) - 2 teaspoons salt (14 g) In spite of the extra time it takes to boil and mash the potatoes, we find ourselves making this bread frequently because it is such good eating.

Peel the potato and trim off eyes and dark spots. Rinse under running water, cut into quarters, and boil until tender. Drain, reserving the water.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water.

Blend the liquids and the potato together. If you don't have a blender, just mash your potato and mix it in.

Combine the flour and salt, and mix them thoroughly.

Combine the liquids and drys. The dough will probably be a little bit stiff; depending on how much water your potato contained, it might be quite stiff. Add water on your hands as you knead for about 20 minutes, so that you end with a supple, soft, very bouncy dough.

Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in the bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about inch deep with your wet finger. If the hole doesn't fill in at all or if the dough sighs, it is ready for the next step. Press flat, form into a smooth round, and let the dough rise once more as before. The second rising will take about half as much time as the first.

Divide into two loaves, though if you have added extra potato or if your flour is very good or if you are a super kneader, there may be more dough than you require for two normal loaf pans. (If you have a scale, each loaf should weigh 1 lb, 800 g, or a little more.) Make hearth loaves-this dough makes wonderful hearth loaves-or just form the usual two loaves, plus a few rolls or buns.

Let the loaves rise in a warm, humid place until a gentle indentation of your wetted finger fills in slowly. Traditionally, potato bread has a dusty, floury crust. To achieve this effect, dust the loaf lightly with fine flour-pastry flour is best-just before baking. The flour will stick if the bread has been proofed in a humid place; otherwise, spray the crust lightly with warm water before dusting the loaf.

If you make hearth loaves, slash them before putting them in the oven; the tic-tac-toe pattern, or just three parallels, work well. We usually slash the loaves in pans, too, because this bread almost always rises very well in the oven.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for nearly an hour.

OPTIONS.

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, you can use them in the bread. Use 1 to 1 cups per recipe. If there is milk, salt, and b.u.t.ter in the mashed potatoes, you will probably want to reduce the bread's salt measure slightly. Leftovers may hold extra liquid, so be alert to that.

For richer flavor and a little more rise, include an egg as part of the liquid measure. Beat it into the yogurt or b.u.t.termilk before adding the water.

For a close-textured crumb, particularly pale and milk-sweet, stir six tablespoons of powdered milk into the dry ingredients. This amount of milk exceeds the maximum we generally suggest for unscalded milk or milk powder, but the conditioning effect of the potato counteracts the effect of the milk proteins, and the bread is light, airy, and delicious.

SESAME-POTATO BREAD.

Use sesame oil for the oil measure in the bread. Roll the dough in sesame seeds after shaping the loaf. This is particularly delicious bread.

Potato Rye Bread - 1 good-sized potato, about lb (225 g), pared and cooked - cooking water from the potato - cup yogurt (120 ml) - 2 tablespoons oil (30 ml) or b.u.t.ter (optional) - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - cup warm water (120 ml) - 3 cups whole rye flour (385 g) - 4 cups whole wheat flour (600 g) - 2 teaspoons salt (14 g) - teaspoon fennel seeds - additional water, about 1 cup (235 ml) Rye, wheat, potatoes, and fennel give this long-keeping bread a sophisticated European mood.

Mash the potato. Add enough additional water to the potato water to make 1 cups. Mix together the potato, yogurt, and oil (if used).

Dissolve the yeast in cup warm water.

Mix the flours, salt, and seeds, then stir in the potato mixture and the yeast. Use some of the additional water also, if necessary, to make a very stiff dough. Knead the dough for about 20 minutes, incorporating the extra 1 cup water (or more potato water) gradually as you go along, until the dough is soft, supple, and smooth.

Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in the bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about inch deep with your wet finger. If the hole doesn't fill in at all or if the dough sighs, it is ready for the next step. Press flat, form into a smooth round, and let the dough rise once more as before. The second rising will take about half as much time as the first.

Press the dough flat and divide in two. Round it and let it rest until relaxed, then deflate and shape into pan or hearth loaves. Place in greased 8 4 loaf pans, or on a baking sheet dusted with corn meal. Let rise in a warm, humid, draft-free place until the dough slowly returns a gently made fingerprint. Bake about an hour at 350F. 4 loaf pans, or on a baking sheet dusted with corn meal. Let rise in a warm, humid, draft-free place until the dough slowly returns a gently made fingerprint. Bake about an hour at 350F.

Bl.u.s.tery Buns - 1 onion - 1 clove garlic - 2 tablespoons oil (30 ml) (olive is good, or any cooking oil) - 1 tablespoon honey (15 ml) - or 1 recipe Potato Rye Bread Chop and saute the onion and garlic in the oil, cooking very gently so that they turn golden without browning. Add the honey and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.

Let this mixture cool and knead it into the dough for Potato Rye. One medium onion and a small clove of garlic is plenty for some people for two loaves, but if you really like this sort of thing, you could use all the onion in one loaf's worth of rolls (phew!). In either case, for decorative effect, keep a tiny bit of the onion to smear on the top of the rolls, after shaping. Makes 24 small or 12 giant buns, if you use two loaves' worth of dough.

Murphy's Bread - 1 cup soymilk (235 ml) - 2 tablespoons honey (30 ml) - 2 teaspoons lemon juice (10 ml) - 1 cup potato water and/or tap water (235 ml) - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - cup warm water (120 ml) - 5 cups whole wheat flour (825 g) - 2 teaspoons salt (14 g) - 1 cup cooked mashed potato (235 ml) This non-dairy potato bread is named for the Irish-who take their potatoes neat.

Scald the soymilk and mix in the honey; set aside to cool. Mix lemon juice, potato water, if any, and tap water to bring the quant.i.ty to one cup.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Mix together the flour and salt, then rub the potato in with your fingers. Pour the liquids into a well in the center and stir the flour gradually into it. Add more water or flour as necessary to make a soft dough. Turn out on the board and knead thoroughly.

Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in the bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about inch deep with your wet finger. If the hole doesn't fill in at all or if the dough sighs, it is ready to shape. Since there is soy in the recipe, the dough should be ripe and ready to shape after only one rise.

Press flat and divide in two. Round and let rest until relaxed, then deflate and shape into loaves. Place in greased 8 4 loaf pans and let rise again in a warm, draft-free place until the dough slowly returns a gently made fingerprint. Slash the tops and bake in an oven preheated to 350F for about 45 minutes, until done. 4 loaf pans and let rise again in a warm, draft-free place until the dough slowly returns a gently made fingerprint. Slash the tops and bake in an oven preheated to 350F for about 45 minutes, until done.

Herbed Dinner Loaf - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - cup warm water (120 ml) (can be potato cooking water) - cup cooked mashed potatoes (160 ml) - cup cottage cheese (120 ml) - cup hot potato or tap water (120 ml) - 1 tablespoon oil (15 ml) - 1 teaspoons salt (8.25 g) - 1 teaspoon dill weed or parsley - 1 teaspoon chopped celery leaves - teaspoon thyme - 3 cups whole wheat flour (450 g) The herbs are subtle, and the bread very moist: great for lunch the next day, toasted, alongside a bowl of tomato soup.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

Mix all the other ingredients together and then add the yeast. Knead until springy, about 10 minutes; the dough should be quite soft. If it seems too stiff, wet your hands as you knead to incorporate more water.

Cover the dough and let it rise in a very warm place for about an hour, or a little less. To check, poke your wet finger into the middle of the dough about inch deep; if the hole does not fill in at all or if the dough sighs, you can deflate it and set it to rise again. The second rise should take less than half an hour if it has been kept warm enough.

Press flat, shape into a smooth round, place in a well-greased ca.s.serole dish or in a greased loaf pan, and let rise again as before. It should be ready for the oven in less than half an hour. Preheat well, to 350F; bake for about 45 minutes.

*You can use cup fresh sprouts (3 days) instead of dimalt. Add to the orange juice, and blend smooth in blender.

Saltless Breads

Who these days hasn't heard about the dangers of too much salt? Is there one among us who can down even a small bag of pretzels (much less potato chips) without a nervous twitch, a pang of guilt? But bread bread is not a salty food, so why this section? is not a salty food, so why this section?

All true, and unless you are on a sodium-restricted diet-or are one of the people who actually prefer bread without added salt-bread is one of the last places you would want to cut back: a little salt goes a long way in bread, not only transforming the flavor but strengthening the dough to make a lighter loaf. Even so, it can be done, and the saltless bread that tastes so blah at first gradually begins to taste just right if you are persistent and dedicated to reeducating your palate to a saltless regime.

And so if it is saltless loaves you want, tasty and light as they can be, we offer in this section some hints and also some really excellent recipes. Other breads in this book can be made without added salt, following the guidelines here. In general, look for recipes with a lot of flavor interest: the ryes and the sourdoughs, for example, will be most successful. Most of our recipes call for 2 teaspoons of salt for two loaves; such breads do not depend wholly on salt for their flavor, but the ones that do call for a full tablespoon of salt are apt to need it.

If you are on a salt-restricted diet and have made an honest but futile attempt to get to like saltless bread, try using just 1 teaspoon in each of the following recipes, which is only teaspoon per loaf-a third of what would be in a store-bought loaf of bread. Unless you eat a whole loaf in a day, you won't be getting a lot of salt from it.

When you make bread without salt you will find that the dough rises quickly, so watch it carefully to make sure that it doesn't overferment. To help control the fermentation, try making the dough with cool rather than warm water and letting it rise at room temperature. Keep the dough on the stiff side, and most important, don't let the shaped loaves rise too long in the pan, but put them in the oven a little before you think they are ready; otherwise they can collapse.

Though a saltless loaf rises faster, it will never be so high as the same bread made with salt. Since denser loaves are more flavorful, this is a natural compensation for the absence of salt. Nonetheless, you do want the bread to rise, so be sure to knead your dough as well as you can, letting the gluten develop as much strength as possible. If kneading is difficult for you and making saltless bread important to your health, it would be worth investing in a kneading machine, either a dough hook or food processor, to do the muscle work for you.

Incidentally, making rolls out of all or part of the dough has special advantages when you bake salt-free. Rolls can rise longer than loaves without danger of collapsing, and the increased crust area gives extra flavor and appeal-especially when poppy or sesame seeds add their cheery zest. Turn to Small Wonders, for shaping suggestions.

For information about low-sodium leavenings for quick breads please refer.

Saltless Variety Breads - cup raisins (35 g) - 2 cups water (475 ml) - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - cup warm water (120 ml) - 5 cups whole wheat flour (750 g) - cup skim milk powder (30 g) - cup sunflower seeds, chopped (28 g) - 1 cup buckwheat, rye, or triticale flour, OR - 2 cups rolled oats (150 g) This bread is tasty, nutritious, satisfying. If you knead with a food processor, the first step of the recipe should be done in advance, either several hours ahead or the day before, so that the raisins and water can be chilled. Otherwise the dough will be far too warm to make good bread.

Simmer the raisins in the water for 5 minutes, then blend smooth in blender or processor (or chop fine by hand). Set mixture aside to cool.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well in the center and pour in the liquids. Stir from the center out to make a slightly stiff dough, adding more water or flour if necessary. Knead well, a full 20 minutes by hand, until the dough is supple.

Cover the dough in the bowl to protect it from drafts and let it rise at room temperature until a gentle finger-poke about inch deep-wet your finger first!-leaves a hole that does not fill in or fills in very slowly: fills in very slowly: about 1 hours. Deflate the dough and let it rise again, about 45 to 60 minutes. about 1 hours. Deflate the dough and let it rise again, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Divide the dough in two and knead gently into rounds, being careful not to rip the smooth top surface. Use dusting flour lightly as necessary. Let the rounds rest until they soften, about 15 minutes, then shape the loaves for loaf pans or round 2 quart ca.s.seroles with lids. Roll in oats for an attractive touch. Let rise again in a warm place until spongy, but be careful not to overproof-a fingerprint indentation should not remain in the dough but should fill in slowly. Preheat the oven to 425F in time for it to be up to temperature when the bread is ready to go in.

If you bake the loaves in covered ca.s.seroles, pour 2 tablespoons warm water over each one before covering and baking. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350F and bake until done, another 20 or 30 minutes.

If you bake in loaf pans, paint the loaves with warm water, place in the hot oven, and immediately turn the heat down to 350F. Bake for nearly an hour.

Slightly Sourdough - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - 1 cup warm water (235 ml) - 1 cups sourdough starter (375 ml) - 5 cups whole wheat bread flour (750 g) - cup additional warm water, more or less (120 ml) - poppy seeds We tried making this bread in two versions: without salt, and with a teaspoonful per loaf. We tested it on friends who like to go light on the salt, and to our surprise they all preferred it saltless. In their opinion, if you add salt to this bread you detract from the earthy, whole-grain flavor.

If you do not have a sourdough starter already, it takes a few days to make one; follow the recipe for Manuel's Rye Sour. The day ahead, bring the starter out of the refrigerator, double it, and let it bubble up in a warm place. Measure out the 1 cups and return the rest to the refrigerator.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the starter and the yeast mixure. Mix into a dough, adding enough additional water to make it soft, but not too soft. Knead thoroughly, about 20 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky due to the starter, so maybe you'll want to use a spatula or dough cutter in one hand to lift and turn the dough.

Keep in the bowl to rise, covered and protected from drafts, at room temperature. When you can poke your finger into the dough and the center of the hole does not fill in, probably about 1 to 1 hours, deflate the dough and let it rise again. The timings are variable because the rye sour may add yeast activity of its own. The second rising will probably take about 30 to 45 minutes.

Divide the dough in half and knead gently into b.a.l.l.s, then let them rest until they soften. Using plenty of dusting flour, shape into round loaves and roll the tops in poppy seeds. These bake very nicely in two 1 -quart stainless steel bowls, covered, or in one 2- to 2 -quart covered round ca.s.serole. Let rise again in a warm place, 90F, until the dough warms up and feels spongy to the touch. Pour 3 tablespoons of warm water over the top of each loaf, cover and bake in an oven preheated to 375F for 50 to 60 minutes until done.

Bron's Wonder Loaves - 1 medium raw potato (1 cup cooked and mashed) - 1 cup water (235 ml) - 1 cup skim milk (235 ml) - 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 7 g) - cup warm water (120 ml) - 6 cups whole wheat bread flour (900 g) - teaspoon diastatic malt flour - 4 teaspoons sesame seeds (12 g) This bread is remarkably light and tasty. Made from fresh, simple ingredients, it fits gracefully into the most rigorously healthful diet. The diastatic malt flour (dimalt) is available in most health food stores, or you can make your own (see this page this page).

If you are cooking the potato from scratch, scrub, peel, and cut it into chunks. Cook in one cup water until soft. Using real potato rather than instant, and fresh milk rather than powdered, makes an enormous difference in this recipe.

Scald the skim milk and set it aside to cool.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

Drain the cooked potato and mash it. Combine the potato water with the skim milk and add water of a suitable temperature to bring the liquid measure to 2 cups, body heat.

Combine the whole wheat and malt flours. Rub the mashed potatoes into them. Make a well in the center and pour in the liquids, including the yeast solution. Mix the flour gradually into the liquids to make a dough that is soft, but not too too soft-it should have some substance to it. Add more flour or water as necessary. soft-it should have some substance to it. Add more flour or water as necessary.

Let the dough rise covered in its bowl, in a warm place, about 80F. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds by stirring briefly in a skillet (no oil is necessary). After about an hour make a -inch hole in the center of the dough with your wet finger. If the hole does not fill in at all or if the dough sighs, press it flat and round it again, putting it in its warm place to rise again. The second rising will take about half as long as the first.

Deflate the dough and divide in two, forming smooth b.a.l.l.s. Let them rest until the dough softens. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the table and press the smooth top of each piece of dough on the seeds. Roll into a circle and shape as usual. Place in two 8 4 loaf pans and keep in the same warm place to rise again, until the dough feels spongy. Bake in an oven preheated to 425F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F for another 25 minutes or until done. 4 loaf pans and keep in the same warm place to rise again, until the dough feels spongy. Bake in an oven preheated to 425F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F for another 25 minutes or until done.

Rice Breads For those who cannot eat wheat, a whole-foods diet that is not centered around meat poses challenges. Of course there are many, many interesting grain dishes, especially when you look to the cuisines of the East. But for a Western palate, nothing can quite take the place of bread, and nothing is so convenient or so comfortingly familiar-sandwiches and toast, how could we get along without them? In this chapter we offer a selection of breads and other good foods that will be useful to those who may be allergic to wheat, rye, oats, barley, and other grains, and to milk and eggs as well. The recipes presented here are good but they only suggest the wide range of possibilities.

We recommend using short- or medium-grain brown rice. Flour made from long-grain rice makes bread with a sandy texture. You may run across something called "glutinous rice." Don't worry, there's no gluten in it: it just gets sticky when cooked, a quality required in certain recipes-not, however, those in this book. Plain ordinary short- or medium-grain brown rice is fine.

Rice flour, like cornmeal, performs much better in every way when it is freshly ground; this is true even if your grinder, like ours, can't make it into a fine powder.

About Yeasted Rice Breads It is probably impossible to imagine how convenient bread is unless you are one of those rare people who are allergic to gluten and can tolerate no grain at all except rice.* If you are allergic to gluten you are probably not a vegetarian-or you are very thin. Maybe we can help change that. If you are allergic to gluten you are probably not a vegetarian-or you are very thin. Maybe we can help change that.

Our yeasted rice breads are based on the dedicated work of two women who were determined to find a way to provide real yeast-raised bread for people whose diets are limited in this way. Maura Bean and Kazuko Nis.h.i.ta of the USDA USDA Western Regional Research Laboratory in Berkeley tested every available natural and synthetic gum, trying to find one that could do what gluten does. They came up with methylcellulose, not what you might call a natural food for sure, but it works. The gum is extracted from cellulose fiber, and is impressively non-toxic. Western Regional Research Laboratory in Berkeley tested every available natural and synthetic gum, trying to find one that could do what gluten does. They came up with methylcellulose, not what you might call a natural food for sure, but it works. The gum is extracted from cellulose fiber, and is impressively non-toxic.

Our own version of their work uses brown rice flour instead of white, and includes a long fermentation period to improve both the flavor and keeping quality of the bread. There are three variations: Brown Rice Bread, which tastes like-rice; Garbanzo Rice Bread, with a mellow flavor and the advantage of added legume nutrients; and Soy-Raisin Rice bread, cakier, and sweet. Whichever version you make, be sure that your brown rice flour is really fresh and that it was ground from short-or medium-grain rice, not long-grain.

Your local health food store may be able to get methocel for you. Otherwise it can be ordered by mail, but it is expensive, $7 for half a pound as we go to press. Half a pound will be enough for 24 loaves. To order by mail write to: Ener-G Foods, Inc.

P.O. 24723, Seattle, Washington 981240723 Ask for Methocel K K4M (90 (90 HG HG 4000). Ask for a copy of their product list too. This company sells a variety of products for people with severe food allergy. 4000). Ask for a copy of their product list too. This company sells a variety of products for people with severe food allergy.

Brown Rice Bread - 6 cups brown rice flour (900 g) - 1 tablespoon salt (16.5 g) - 2 cup tepid water (635 ml) - 4 teaspoons active dry yeast ( oz or 14 g) - cup warm water (120 ml) - 2 tablespoons honey (30 ml) - cup oil (60 g) - cup methocel (28 g) The flour in this bread must be from short- or medium-grain rice, not long-grain rice. Start this bread 12 to 18 hours before you want to bake.

Mix the rice flour and the salt, and make a well in the middle. Pour in the water, mixing gradually from the center outward. Beat vigorously for ten minutes either by hand, with a wooden spoon, or with an electric beater at medium speed, to smooth and aerate the batter.

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir the yeast solution, then the honey and oil into the grain mixture and mix thoroughly by hand or machine until completely smooth and uniform. Add the methocel and mix thoroughly again; the dough will become very stiff. (See the tips below.) Spoon into three well-greased 8 4 loaf pans. Wet your fingers with water or oil and smooth the tops. Keep the loaves in a warm (80F) and humid place to rise, until the batter reaches the top of the pans. Watch the surface of the dough and be ready to put the bread into a preheated oven as soon as the first tiny pinholes appear on the top. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, or until done. Allow to cool thoroughly before slicing. 4 loaf pans. Wet your fingers with water or oil and smooth the tops. Keep the loaves in a warm (80F) and humid place to rise, until the batter reaches the top of the pans. Watch the surface of the dough and be ready to put the bread into a preheated oven as soon as the first tiny pinholes appear on the top. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, or until done. Allow to cool thoroughly before slicing.

SOME TIPS If the dough was too stiff, its surface will be full of holes before it can rise, and the bread will be dense. If it is too wet, it will rise up in a big arch like wheat bread, but it will collapse. With a little practice you will get a feeling for the proper consistency. If the dough was too stiff, its surface will be full of holes before it can rise, and the bread will be dense. If it is too wet, it will rise up in a big arch like wheat bread, but it will collapse. With a little practice you will get a feeling for the proper consistency.

Don't try to subst.i.tute b.u.t.ter or shortening for the oil in this recipe because they will affect the methocel function.

Store the bread in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and freeze the extra two loaves until you need them, as the bread tends to stale quickly.