I have a recipe for bread which I have used successfully for twenty-seven years and have been told many times that it is very good bread.
One cent cut yeast,
one and one-half quarts lukewarm water,
two tablespoonfuls lard or butter,
one tablespoon salt,
two tablespoonfuls sugar,
one large freshly cooked potato.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in one quart lukewarm water, add to it enough flour to make a soft sponge, beat well, cover and set aside for one and one half hours in a warm place to rise.
When well risen add lard or butter (melted), salt, potato, and about a pint of the water the potato was boiled in (strain potato and water through fine sieve). Add remainder of flour slowly while kneading, make a moderately firm dough, knead until hands become dry, place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise about two hours.
When light mold into loaves and place in well greased baking pans, cover and let rise again for about one hour, when light bake in a quick oven, where it should brown in from fifteen to twenty minutes, then reduce heat until baked. An ordinary loaf requires about fifty minutes.
The beating of batter and kneading of the dough is of as much importance as the ingredients you put in to make good bread. Beating and kneading add the air which is necessary for the development of yeast. Greasing the bowl and keeping bread well covered while rising prevents a crust from forming on the top which If allowed to form and kneaded into the dough causes streaks through the bread. Potatoes keep the bread moist and give it a nice flavor. Use no flour when molding into loaves and handle as little as possible. To be sure bread is ready for oven, put flour on the finger and make an impression in one of the loaves. If the impression remains, the bread will rise no more. If it disappears give it a little more time.
When baked remove from pans and do not cover with cloth until cold.