ONE OF MY VERYYYY FAV. TO GO WITH SOUPS, STEWS.. SANDWICHES.. GRILLED WITH
CHEESE...
Potato Rosemary Bread
Yield: Two 1-pound loaves or 18 dinner rolls
Days to Make: 2
For the Bread:
1¼ cups (7 ounces) biga (recipe follows)
3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons (14 ounces) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
1½ teaspoons (.38 ounce) salt
¼ teaspoon (.03 ounce) black pepper, coarsely ground (optional)
1¼ teaspoons (.14 ounce) instant yeast
1 cup (6 ounces) mashed potatoes
1 Tablespoon (.5 ounce) olive oil
2 Tablespoons (.25 ounce) coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons to 1 cup (7 to 8 ounces) water, at room temperature
(or warm if the potatoes are cold)
4 Tablespoons (1 ounce) coarsely chopped roasted garlic (optional)
Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting
Olive oil for brushing on top
For the Biga:
2½ cups (11.25 ounces) unbleached bread flour
½ teaspoon (.055 ounce) instant yeast
¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons to 1 cup (7 to 8 ounces) water, at room temperature)
1. Make the biga:
Stir together the flour and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of
an electric mixer). Add ¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons of water, stirring
until everything comes together and makes a coarse ball (or mix on low
speed for 1 minute with the paddle attachment). Adjust the flour or
water, according to need, so that the dough is neither too sticky nor
too stiff. (It is better to err on the sticky side, as you can adjust
easier during kneading. It is harder to add water once the dough firms
up.)
Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the
counter. Knead for 4 to 6 minutes (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook
for 4 minutes), or until the dough is soft and pliable, tacky but
not sticky. The internal temperature should be 77° to 81°F.
Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it
around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at
room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, or until it nearly doubles in
size.
Remove the dough from the bowl, knead it lightly to degas, and return it to the
bowl, covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in
the refrigerator overnight. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to 3
days, or freeze it in an airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.
2. Remove the biga from the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan to
make the bread. Cut it into about 10 small pieces with a pastry scraper
or serrated knife. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 1
hour to take off the chill.
3. Stir together the flour, salt, black pepper, and yeast into a
4-quart mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the biga
pieces, mashed potatoes, oil, rosemary, and ¾ cup plus 2 Tablespoons
water. Stir with a large spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle
attachment) for 1 minute, or until the ingredients form a ball. Add more water,
if necessary, or more flour, if the dough is too sticky.
4. Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter,
and begin to knead (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Knead
for approximately 10 minutes (or 6 minutes by machine), adding more
flour if needed, until the dough is soft and supple, tacky but not
sticky. It should pass the windowpane test and register 77° to 81°F.
Flatten the dough and spread the roasted garlic over the top. Gather the dough
into a ball and knead it by hand for 1 minute (you will probably
have to dust it with flour first to absorb the moisture from the
garlic). Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl,
rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
5. Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough
doubles in size.
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 2 equal pieces
for loaves, or 18 equal pieces (about 2 ounces each) for dinner rolls.
Shape each of the larger pieces into a boule, or shape the smaller
pieces into rolls. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment (use 2 pans
for rolls) and dust lightly with semolina flour or cornmeal. Place the
dough on the parchment, separating the pieces so that they will not
touch, even after they rise. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover
loosely with plastic wrap.
7. Proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours (depending on the size of the
pieces), or until the dough doubles in size.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack on the middle shelf.
Remove the plastic from the dough and lightly brush the breads or rolls
with olive oil. You do not need to score these breads, but you can if
you prefer.
9. Place the pan(s) in the oven. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then rotate
the pan 180 degrees for even baking. The loaves will take 35 to
45 minutes total to bake. Bake the rolls for 10 minutes, rotate the
pans, and then bake for 10 minutes longer. The loaves and rolls will be a rich
golden brown all around, and the internal temperature should
register at least 195°F. The loaves should make a hollow sound when
thumped on the bottom. If the loaves or rolls are fully colored but seem too
soft, turn off the oven and let them bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to
firm up.
10. Remove the finished loaves or rolls from the oven and cool on a
rack for at least 1 hour for loaves and 20 minutes for rolls before
serving.
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