When Potatoes Meet Yeast
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
Potatoes are a cold weather staple with plenty of creamy and hearty appeal, happy to be baked, boiled, mashed, smashed or turned into a mess of cubes as morning has browns. Content to be eaten all my themselves, it’s easy to forget that potatoes can be used for far more. Jumping into the baking world, I decided to take my potatoes to the oven in classic Potato Rolls. Home made bread still sounds like a head ache to some, but this recipe makes plenty to eat now, freeze or give away and is quite forgiving. These make great little sandwiches or serve with a big roast or stew. Soft, sweet and somewhat rich, these rolls are basic and take well to additions like Caramelized Onions (stir into dough, cooled, in the beginning mixing of all ingredients.) Also, see notes at bottom for using left over mashed potatoes.
Being a fat enriched sweeter and soft dough, this can also be rolled out into a large rectangle after the first rise….brushed with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon, brown sugar and pecans… then rolled up (starting with the long side facing you) jelly roll style, sliced into rounds and made into Pecan Cinnamon Buns! Smear with cream cheese frosting or a quick powdered sugar, milk and splash of bourbon icing to drizzle on top.
Potato Rolls
makes 48 rolls
2-3 potatoes, skinned and cubed
water to cover (2 cups)
2 packets yeast (1/2 ounce total)
sprinkle sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
6-7 cups of flour total
egg mixed with water or cream or another yolk for egg wash
1<> Boil potatoes in water for 15-20 minutes until tender, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Mash potatoes until smooth, and cool mash to 110 to 115 degrees, while you cool the potato water to the same temp, again 110 to 115 degrees. **This is just to not burn and kill your yeast.)
2<> Dissolve the yeast with the cooking water and the sprinkle of sugar in a large bowl. Let stand a few minutes while you gather rest of ingredients.
3<> Add in the reserved potato mash, butter, honey, eggs, salt and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth and then stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft yet cohesive dough. Turn onto a lightly floured counter or bread board and knead until soft and smooth, about 8 to 20 minutes depending on your kneading skills… A dough hook will also do this for you if you have a stand mixer.
4<> Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a draft free spot until doubles in size…about 1 hour. **Dough can also be placed in fridge and allowed to “slow rise” over night at this stage**
5<> Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured counter again. Shape into 48 equal sized rolls OR proceed with Cinnamon Bun Variation above. Place into greased round pans or on a greased baking sheet. I let the sides all touch to get that pull apart soft yeast roll side. Cover again and let rise another 30 minutes to an hour until double in size.
6<> Preheat oven to 400^…. Uncover rolls and brush with egg wash. Bake 20-30 minutes until puffy and cooked through. Cool on racks.
**Left over mashed potatoes can be used here but since they already come with butter and such, decrease the melted butter in the recipe or remove it completely depending on how rich you made you mashed potatoes. Cheese doesn’t not hurt either, and will work. **
**Freeze left over mashed potatoes for another batch of rolls or to break off chunks of the frozen mash for stirring into soups that need a little more body or thickening.**
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