TWD: Rustic Potato Loaves

Tuesdays with Dorie (a virtual cooking group) baking through Baking with Julia
by Dorie Greenspan
Contributing Baker: Leslie Mackie 

 

The unpretentious potato. You can purchase one at a time or in five to ten pound bags. What would you do with a ten pound bag you ask? The possibilities are endless and the humble potato does not get the recognition it deserves, except maybe at Thanksgiving.

Here are just a few uses for this wonderful vegetable:

Baked potato, mashed potatoes, potato salad, vegetable quesadillas, gnocchi, potato soup, home-fries, scalloped potatoes, potato pancakes; the list goes on and on, and don't forget the science experiment at almost every school science fair.

The potato is not only good (pure comfort food), but good for you as well. One large potato (369gr.) has only 284 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, and a whopping 7 grams of protein and 8 grams of dietary fiber. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C (source: nutritiondata). I'll pop one into the microwave for a quick lunch and enjoy it with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Then there are the wild unproven medicinal claims, from drinking potato juice for stomach ailments to raw potato placed on the skin to alleviate inflammation (source: livestrong). Do not try any herbal remedies without consulting your doctor first!

Then there is this wonderful bread. It only takes about three hours from start to finish; a lot less time than most yeasted breads. The book even says this is a good one for making on a whim. (For me a whim is something I can whip up on a moments notice, say like buttermilk biscuits. I can throw them together and into the oven while the soup is simmering away on the stove).

The recipe makes two loaves; I decided to make one loaf to be used for sandwiches later, and turn the rest of the dough into rolls to go with our soup that evening. The rolls were perfect - soft, warm, and delicious, especially with a little butter spread upon them.

Success meter (1-3): 3

You start by boiling cubed potatoes (skin and all!) till just tender. I read other bakers peeled their potatoes. I'm one that eats the skin and all of a baked potato, so why not in the bread as well (as instructed) and I liked the speckled look the peel gave the dough.

Then air dry for about thirty minutes.

So much for obtaining a football shape (it's a very lean football).

I had some fun decorating a few of the rolls. As for the loaf, not so rustic looking as it should - I forgot to turn it seem side up before placing it into the oven.

 

Just look at the softness of this bread (as well as bits of peel).

I can see myself adding all kinds of goodness to the dough in the future: a little asiago, cheddar, Parmesan, scallions, chives, rosemary, maybe even some nuts or seeds - again the possibilities are endless.

Visit Dawn's blog, Simply Sweet for the recipe, and don't just stop at her awesome bread post - check out her amazing cakes she makes - they're incredible.

I'm sure there will be all kinds of versions of this bread from the many talented bakers we have in the group. To see their results check out the TWD LYL: Potato Bread link.

The recipe can also be found on page 138 in the book Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan.