Add the potatoes to a pot of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat & cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes using a fork or hand masher.

You will need about a cup (8 ounces) of the mashed potatoes for this recipe.

Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Add the salt and granulated sugar. Place over medium heat until the milk begins to bubble at the edges. Remove from the heat. Stir to be sure the salt and sugar are dissolved.

Add the olive oil and mashed potatoes to the milk mixture. Whisk to combine.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer. Allow it to cool slightly so that it is just warm to the touch.

Using a digital thermometer, check the temperature of the mixture. If too hot (over 130℉) it will kill the yeast when added.

Sprinkle in the yeast. Stir to combine then add about half of the flour. Using the flat beater of your mixer, beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. During this time, any potato lumps should break down and be well incorporated in the dough.

Switch from the flat beater to the dough hook of your mixer. Add the remaining flour. Mix on medium speed to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be on the loose side, tacky but not sticky.

Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl. Gently turn the dough so that the entire surface is lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dampened towel. Place in a warm spot for about two hours.

When the dough has sufficiently risen to at least double in size, press down on the dough with your fist to deflate it. Turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead a few times to tighten it up. Using a pastry scraper or knife, cut the dough into equal halves. A digital scale can be helpful here.

Line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper. Lining the pans with parchment helps to produce bread with a very soft crust.

Alternatively, the inside of the pans can be greased with oil or butter.

Place the dough in each of the loaf pans. Gently press the dough into each pan so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Coat the top of each loaf with a light layer of olive oil.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about an hour, until the dough has once again doubled in size.

When the dough in the pans is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350℉. The rack should be placed in the middle of the oven.

Remove the plastic wrap. If desired, sprinkle the top of each loaf with a light dusting of flour. Place the pans in the preheated oven.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. When done, the internal temperature of each loaf should be between 190℉ to 200℉.

When cool enough to handle, remove the loaves from the pans. Place them directly on a wire rack to completely cool before slicing.