Potato and onion seed bread

Method

1. Line a 1 kg loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Peel, chop and cook the potatoes in unsalted water for 15 minutes or until cooked. Drain, reserving the water. Mash the potatoes over a low heat to remove excess water.
3. Put the rest of the ingredients into a bowl, add the potatoes and then 75 g of the potato cooking water.
4. Mix with a fork until you have a rough dough and turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface. Bring it together and knead for 7 minutes. The dough should now be much less sticky, more elastic and ready to rise.
5. Sprinkle a little flour on the surface now and shape the dough into a ball. Put it back into the mixing bowl and cover it with a tea towel. Leave it to prove and double in size (I place it in my oven at 60°C with the door slightly ajar, for 30 minutes). Turn it back onto the work surface, knead it back to the original size then dust the work surface with a little flour and shape it into a fat sausage to fit into the loaf tin. Cover with a tea towel.
6. Leave in a warm place (the oven or room temperature) to rise again. Preheat the oven to 220°C – take the loaf out first if proving in there!
7. Bake for 35 minutes until risen, crisp and browned. You can tell the loaf is done by turning it out and knocking the base with your fist – it should sound hollow.