Make Potato Water

1. Wash and chop potatoes. Place in a small pot of boiling water until the water becomes cloudy. (This means the potatoes have released their starch)
2. Drain the water into a measuring cup.
3. Reserve one cup of the potato water.
4. Set the potatoes aside or use them to make roasted potatoes (The best roasted potatoes start with boiled potatoes!)

Proof the Yeast

1. Warm the milk to steaming (but try not to let it boil).
2. Let the milk cool down to 110 or below (you'll kill the yeast if it's hotter than 110). If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, wait until you can hold your finger in the water for 10 seconds or longer.
3. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water.

Make the Dough

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave.
3. Add the butter, eggs, and potato water to the flour.
4. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook OR a large wooden spoon OR (my preferred method) your hands, mix the ingredients.
5. Add the milk and yeast and continue to mix.
6. Once the dough has begun coming together, flour a surface and begin to knead.
7. Knead at least 10 minutes.
8. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or stockpot and set someplace warm to rise until doubled in size, probably 3-4 hours depending on the heat and humidity in your kitchen.

Make Filling

1. While the dough rises, begin making the filling by turning a crockpot to warm (not low, warm). If you don't have a crock pot, you will need to carefully watch the filling over extra low heat on the stove.
2. Grind the walnuts with a nut grinder or a food processor.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients.
4. Transfer to the crockpot or a saucepan. If using a saucepan, stir constantly until filling is warm - but watch that the eggs do not scramble. Set filling aside.

Roll the Dough

1. If you are going to use a faster, more modern approach, now is the time to split the dough into 4 sections - each one will go into its own loaf pan. Otherwise, smooth a sheet or tablecloth over a large table (at least 6' x 3').
2. Flour your surface and begin rolling the dough in all directions.
3. When rolling is no longer effective, use Crisco to soften the dough and your fingers and use your hands to gently stretch the dough, from the center out.
4. Continue working until the dough is very thin. If you're using a patterned tablecloth, you should be able to see the pattern and it should cover most (or all) of the table.

Fill and Roll the Dough

1. Make sure the filling is warm.
2. Use a spoon or brush (or your fingers) to spread the filling all over the dough.
3. Starting on one long side, tightly roll and tuck the edge of the dough in toward the filling.
4. If you're using a tablecloth, now you can life the side of the cloth toward the unrolled side. The weight of the Povitica will cause it to roll the entire dough.
5. Double the roll back on itself and pinch the ends for baking. If you divided your dough, stack turn the ends towards the middle and stack one side on top of the other so you have 4 rolls - 2 on the bottom and 2 on top.

Bake

1. If desired, brush with an egg wash (one egg mixed with water).
2. Bake at 325 for 90 minutes. Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.

Serve

1. slice can be enjoyed any time at room temperature. May be best served slightly warmed with a pat of butter, like breakfast toast or cinnamon bread.