My parents stopped by our house this weekend since they were in the area. As usual, my mom asked if I needed anything (i.e., food from her most recent Sprouts or Costco run) before they hit the road. When she called, I was at the grocery store so couldn’t think of anything … except fresh rosemary from my dad’s yard. I was planning to buy a small clamshell of it and could save myself a few dollars.
Perhaps I should have been more specific when I made the request. My dad clipped five HUGE branches of it for me – more than I go through in a year! I used a few sprigs for dinner but hardly made a dent, so decided to also make this savory potato bread flecked with rosemary and cheddar cheese. (I stuck the rest in a jar of water for safekeeping.)
This potato bread starts with making a small batch of butter-laden mashed spuds. A splash of oil and an egg also go into the mix, which helps ensure a soft, tender crumb. In fact, the bread is so delicate that it almost falls apart when cut.
Serve thick slices with soup or salad. If you can manage to keep a few pieces intact, it makes a lean, mean sandwich. (Next time I make this recipe, I think I’ll use a pullman loaf pan to create perfectly square bread for grilled cheese.) Have any other good uses for fresh or dried rosemary? Let me know – I have plenty.
Recipe adapted from Simply Delicious.
- 1 small russet potato, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 sprigs + 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 5 teaspoons sugar, divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2½-2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- Fill a small pot with about 1 cup water. Add the potato pieces and 2 sprigs rosemary, cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking water; let water cool until lukewarm. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard skins.
- In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm cooking water, yeast and ½ teaspoon sugar. Whisk together and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the cooked potato, remaining sugar, butter, olive oil, egg and salt. Mash up potato with a fork and stir mixture until smooth. Then fold in chopped rosemary and cheddar cheese.
- Add the potato mixture to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Then add 2 cups flour and stir to combine. Continue adding flour, ¼ cup at a time, until dough comes together to form a shaggy ball; it should be tacky but not sticky. Then knead the dough by hand (or with a dough hook attachment) until it’s smooth and elastic - this will take about 10 minutes (or less if using a stand mixer). Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- After the dough has risen, deflate and gently and quickly shape dough into a ball by taking the ends of the dough and folding them into the middle. Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly dust top of loaf with flour. Cover it (an inverted large bowl works well) and let it rise for 30 minutes.
- About 15 minutes before dough has finished rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slash a square on top of the loaf with a floured knife about ½ inch deep.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove bread from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Oooooh, this looks just so good! I wish I could eat the screen!