Rosemary-Garlic Potato Bread

Sorry for the hiatus, been kind of lazy lately in updating my posts. I do have a bunch of good recipes lined up though, so keep checking back over the next couple weeks!

I've always loved potato bread growing up, for its soft and fluffy texture and slightly sweet taste, much better than white bread. Potatoes interact very well with yeast, and add a moistness (sugar from the potato starch allows the bread to hold moisture) and lightness to bread that flour alone cannot achieve. As with all homemade breads, this takes a good while to see through from start to finish, so leave this for a lazy weekend activity.

Active prep time: 50 min
Inactive prep time: 2 1/2 hr
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 1 loaf, ~12 slices

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups water
3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup instant roasted garlic mashed potato flakes
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

Equipment:
2 mixing bowls
Loaf pan or baking sheet

Preheat an oven to its 'warm' setting (170 deg) and then turn off. Take 1/2 cup of the water needed and heat until warm about 110-115 degrees F. Mix this with the yeast and the sugar in a mixing bowl. Place in the warmed oven for 10-15 minutes, allowing the yeast to activate, resulting in bubbling at the surface.



While the yeast is proofing, mix together 2 cups of flour needed and the 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes in the second mixing bowl, and set aside. Melt the butter, salt and remaining water (3/4 cup) to 110-115 degrees, and add to the first yeast mixture. Then add the flour/instant mashed potato flakes to the liquids. Mix to incorporate the ingredients, and transfer to a flat, floured surface. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes, adding up to a cup of bread flour, little by little, as the dough takes up flour from the flat surface. I think I ended up using a total of ~2.5 cups of bread flour. After kneading, the dough should be slightly tacky (think post-it note); mold into a rounded shape, and place in a greased or oiled mixing bowl, smooth side up.


pre-kneading


ready for rising

Cover the bowl with greased/oiled saran wrap, or a moist towel, and place in the warm oven (you may have to rewarm the oven by this point). Keep the door closed, and allow the dough to rest for 1 1/2 hours. Once it has risen, punch dough down and let rest 5 minutes. Then, place the dough in a loaf pan or, if you want to make a free-form bread, re-round the dough and place back into the mixing bowl. Back into the warm oven, and allow to rise again, for about 45 minutes. When the dough has risen appropriately, it should resemble something close to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.


see the resemblance?

If baking free-form, GENTLY transfer the risen dough to parchment paper, taking care not to deflate the air bubbles. Bake for 40 minutes, and let cool somewhat before slicing.

Can't really beat some warm, homemade potato bread with a little butter spread on top!