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Potato Rosemary Bread

Ingredients

For the biga:

  • 2 ½ cups unbleached bread flour 11.25 ounces
  • ½ teaspoon instant yeast .055 ounces
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons to 1 cup water at room temperature (7-8 ounces)

For the dough:

  • 1 ¼ cups biga 7 oz.
  • 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour 14 oz.
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt .38 oz.
  • ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper .03 optional
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast .14 oz.
  • 1 cup mashed potatoes 6 oz.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil .5 oz.
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary .25 oz.
  • ¾ cup to 1 cup water 7-8 oz.
  • 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped roasted garlic 1 oz. — optional
  • Semolina or cornmeal for dusting
  • Olive oil for brushing on top

Instructions

To make the biga:

  1. 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 the 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.)
  2. 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 80 degrees F.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

To make the dough:

  1. Remove the biga from the fridge about 1 to 1-½ hours ahead of time to come to room temperature. Cut it into about 10 small pieces, cover and let sit for about 1 hour to take off the chill.
  2. Stir together the flour, salt, pepper and yeast in a 4 quart mixing bowl. Add the biga pieces, mashed potatoes, olive oil, rosemary, and the water. Stir with a large spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) 1 minute or until the ingredients form a ball. Adjust flour or water as needed.
  3. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook) about 10 minutes (or about 6 minutes by mixer), adding more flour is needed, until the dough is soft, supple, tacky but not sticky. It should pass the windowpane test. If using roasted garlic, flatten the dough and spread roasted garlic over the top, then ather the dough back into a ball and knead it about 1 minute longer or until garlic is incorporated. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl; cover bowl with plastic wrap. F
  4. erment at room temperature about 2 hours, or until dough doubles in size.
  5. Remove dough to a lightly floured surface, degassing as little as possible. Divide into 2 equal pieces, or 18 pieces for dinner rolls. Shape into boules. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, sprinkle with semolina or cornmeal, and place the boules on the parchment, separating them so they will not touch, even after they rise. Mist lightly with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
  6. Proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the pieces), or until the dough doubles in size.
  7. Preheat oven to 400 degees. with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Remove plastic from the dough and lightly brush loaves with olive oil. You do not need to score these breads, but you can if you prefer.
  8. Bake the loves 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. The loaves should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.
  9. Remove the finished loaves or rolls and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour for loaves and 20 minutes for rolls before serving.