Rewena Paraoa (maori Bread)

Total Time: 24 hrs 50 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato, sliced, preferably old
• 2 cups flour (for starter)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 5 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Recipe

• 1 these instructions assume you have warm, humid, sunny weather, you will have to take the additional steps in the recipe description!
• 2 to make rewena starter, peel, slice and boil potato in 1 cup of water to mashing consistency.
• 3 mash potato thoroughly with any remaining water in pot & set aside.
• 4 when lukewarm add flour and sugar, mix to a fairly firm texture. mixture should be a dough-like resemblance.
• 5 cover and leave in a warm place to prove/ferment, ideally outside if it is warm and humid, if not somewhere warm inside.
• 6 it is ready when it bubbles and begins to rise. if this does not do this on the first day, feed it as with colder weather.
• 7 pre-heat oven to 200c.
• 8 grease and lightly flour 2 baking trays (pizza trays are ideal) or 2 medium size (approx 20cms in diameter) round baking tins and/or loaf tins- set aside.
• 9 in a large bowl sift flour and salt and make a well in the centre, pour in all of the starter plant and sprinkle baking soda over starter plant.
• 10 mix ingredients until combined adding extra water if required.
• 11 turn out onto floured bench and knead lightly for approximately 10 minutes.
• 12 with the remaining dough, split in 1/2 and shape into baking tins or onto trays.
• 13 bake in pre-heated over for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden.
• 14 turn out of trays, slice and eat hot with butter.
• 15 leftover rewena is best covered with a clean damp tea-towel to maintain freshness.