Challah (Jewish Egg Bread)

Directions

1. Potato water is simply the water potatoes were boiled in. It is commonly used in Jewish cooking and adds richness, but plain water can be substituted.
2. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix the salt, sugar, and oil with the warm potato water. When this water cools to lukewarm, dissolve the yeast in some of it and stir it into the flour to make a sponge in the center of he bowl; cover and let rise for 30 min. Add in the 3 Large eggs, slightly beaten, to the sponge and stir in the remaining potato water mix to make a dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead it till smooth and elastic and till it does not stick to the board or possibly your hands. Return the dough to the bowl, brush its top with oil, and let it rise in a hot place till it doubles in bulk. Punch it down and knead it on a floured board for 10 min. Cut the dough in half and divide each half into 3 strips; braid these strips to make two braided loaves. Place these loaves on a greased cookie sheet and let them rise till doubled in bulk. Brush with egg yolk beaten with water and sprinkle with poppy seeds. To make the surface more yellow, you may steep the saffron in a little warm water, remove the saffron, and mix the water with the egg yolk. Bake the loaves 15 min in a 400 oven; reduce to 375 and bake another 45 min.