About this Dish
Traditional Maori potato bread — a sourdough made with a fermented potato starter (the rewena) that gives it a distinctive slightly sour flavour and dense, moist crumb. Made and shared at hui (gatherings) and marae (community centres) throughout New Zealand. The potato starter is kept alive and passed between families, sometimes for generations. Rewena bread represents the continuity of Maori food culture.
IngredientsServes 8
🥔Floury potatoes (such as Agria), 2 medium (about 300g), peeled and cubed
🍚Plain white flour, 4 cups plus extra for kneading
💧Warm water, 1½ cups (plus the potato cooking water, cooled to lukewarm)
🌾Sugar, 1 tablespoon
🧂Salt, 1½ teaspoons
🫙Active rewena starter (fermented potato starter), 1 cup — see step 1 to make from scratch
🥄Baking soda (baking soda), ½ teaspoon
💧Extra warm water, ¼ cup, if needed to bring dough together
Method
1
To make the rewena starter (begin 2–3 days ahead): boil the potatoes until very soft, then mash them well with about ¾ cup of their own cooking water and the sugar. Once cooled to lukewarm, stir in ½ cup of flour until smooth, cover loosely with a cloth, and leave in a warm spot for 2–3 days, stirring once daily, until it smells sour and slightly yeasty with small bubbles throughout.2
When your starter is active and bubbly, measure out 1 cup into a large mixing bowl (return any leftover starter to a jar, feed it with a little flour and water, and keep it in the fridge for next time). Add the warm water, salt, and baking soda to the starter and stir well to combine.3
Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead firmly for about 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky — rewena dough is denser than yeast bread so don't worry if it feels heavy.4
Shape the dough into a round loaf and place it in a greased 20–22cm round cake tin or on a greased baking tray. Cover with a clean damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 3–5 hours, or until noticeably puffed — rewena rises slowly, so be patient and don't rush this step.5
Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan-bake 180°C). Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife in a cross or diamond pattern, which helps it bake evenly and gives it that classic look.6
Bake for 35–40 minutes until the loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom. If the top is browning too fast, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes.7
Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing — this resting time helps the dense crumb set properly. Rewena is traditionally eaten with plenty of butter, and it tastes even better the next day toasted.User Reviews
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