Polish bread with apple cider and dry apples

Ingredients

• fresh yeast 10 g
• sugar 1 teaspoon
• water 150 ml
• flour, preferably flour bread 200 g
• spelt flour 200 g
• sea salt 1,5 teaspoon
• boiled potatoes 100 g
• apple cider 120 ml
• olive oil 3 tablespoons
• apple 1

Put the yeast in a bowl, mix it thoroughly with the sugar and 100 ml warm water, and allow to rest for 15 minutes while it gets activated. Combine the flour, salt and potatoes (which you have previously squashed with a potato masher). Make a well in the dough, pour the diluted yeast mixture into the centre, then add the apple cider, olive oil and remaining water. Add the water a little at a time, depending on the type of wheat flour you are using. Knead the dough until it is smooth an pliable. Add the unpeeled, cored and diced apple. (If wished, keep one slice of apple aside for decoration.) Continue kneading a little, then put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour. Now shape the dough into a ball. Place the ball of dough in a prove basket dusted with flour. Let the dough rise for another ¾–1 hr. Preheat the oven to 240°C, and inside place a baking dish lined with oven paper. Sprinkle the sides of the oven with water, or place half a cup of ice inside it. Place the bread on the baking dish, decorate with the apple slice (if relevant) and bake. After 10 minutes lower the temperature to 210°C, and continue baking for another 30–40 minutes, until a golden colour. Put the bread on a wire rack to cool before slicing.