Instructions: Makes 2 round loaves

Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15-17 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid, and set both aside to cool.

Transfer 1/2 c. lukewarm potato-cooking liquid to breadmaker pan. Add 3 tbs. olive oil, bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt, pepper, thyme and yeast. Process on dough setting. When cycle is complete, turn dough out onto well- floured surface.
*Mix diced potatoes into dough until evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise for 30 min. longer.

Sprinkle wooden pizza peel (or back of baking sheet) with cornmeal. Place baking stone on middle rack in oven and preheat to 450 . Place dough on well- floured work surface. Divide into two 10"-12" circles. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining 1 tbs. olive oil, cover with sliced potatoes (if desired) and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt, Asiago cheese and more thyme. Transfer to the prepared pizza peel. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 15 minutes.

Using spray bottle, spritz the oven walls with water. Work quickly so the oven does not lose heat. Slide the dough onto hot baking stone. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until bread turns golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Note: If mixing dough by hand, place potato water and olive oil in large mixer bowl; sprinkle yeast over and allow to sit for 2 minutes. then add flours and mix for 6-8 min. with dough hook or until dough is silky and elastic. Add salt; knead one minute. Add pepper and thyme; knead for 2-3 minutes. Transfer dough to oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place for 1 hour until doubled. Continue at star*.

NOTES : Having enjoyed so many of the bread recipes posted here, I feel it necessary to pay back with one of my familys favorites. Only the dough is made in the bread maker, but it is well worth the shaping and baking after.

Made this the first time in 1997 to go with our cheese-stuffed tortellini, artichoke heart and black olive summer salad. Everybody loved it; the following day we all took cold wedges of it to work for lunch. I didnt add the sliced potatoes on top the first time. The recipe is actually called Potato Focaccia, but it resembles a peasant bread much more, hence the change for our purposes.

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