Looking for the perfect homemade bread for sandwiches and toasting? This Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread is for you. Start on the dough first thing in the morning and your delicious bread is ready to enjoy for lunch.
Ingredients for your Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread…
- Russet potato – Peeled & cut into medium-size chunks. Due to their high starch content, russet potatoes are recommended. When cooked, the dry fluffy texture is ideal for this recipe.
- Milk – Whole milk is recommended but reduced-fat milk should be okay.
- Salt – Finely ground table salt is fine.
- Granulated sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness. Also helps to activate the yeast.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – My first choice is always single source EVOO from Italy. Less processing = healthier more delicious olive oil.
- Instant yeast – I use instant yeast for this recipe since it is simply whisked into the mix along with the flour. With any type of yeast used, always check to be sure that your yeast is well within the expiration date.
- Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is used here. I always use flour that is certified organic, non-GMO and free of glyphosate. My personal favorite is from a domestic company, Sunrise Flour Mill, located in Minnesota. Their flour tends to weigh in heavier than most. If using SFM flour and measuring by volume, decrease the amount to 4 3/4 cups.
An important note on the flour measurements:
In baking, it’s always best to weigh your flour. If you must measure by volume, do so by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.
Not all flour is equal. There are many variables ranging from the way the flour is transferred to the measuring cup to the type of flour. Another huge difference can be found between the many brands out there.
- For unbleached all-purpose white flour, the standard used by many bakers and recipe developers is 125 grams per cup.
- King Arthur Baking states that a cup weighs in at 120 grams.
- Bob’s Red Mill advises 136 grams per cup.
- Imported Italian flour weighs 150 grams per cup.
- I use Sunrise Flour Mill products for the bulk of my baking – their all-purpose flour weighs in at 145 grams per cup.
If you bake on a regular basis, weighing your ingredients as you go is a huge time-saver. It’s also a great way to guarantee excellent results each and every time.
For your go-to recipes, whether in a cookbook or on a print-out, it’s a great idea to pencil in your personal notations of the exact weight in grams along with the specific flour as you go. That way you’ll know that your homemade baked goods will be consistently good
- Add the potatoes to a pot of lightly salted water.
- Bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat & cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and mash the potatoes using a fork or hand masher.
- You will need about a cup (8 ounces) of the mashed potatoes for this recipe.
- Potato flakes could be used as an alternative to cooking the russet potatoes. Keep in mind that they must first be rehydrated to yield one cup of mashed potatoes before adding to the mix.
- Another possibility would be using already prepared leftover mashed potatoes. Although, depending on how creamy you make yours, it could change the texture of your baked bread.
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan.
- Add the salt and granulated sugar.
- Place over medium heat until the milk begins to bubble at the edges.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir to be sure the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Add the olive oil and mashed potatoes to the milk mixture.
- Whisk to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Allow it to cool slightly so that it is just warm to the touch.
- Using a digital thermometer, check the temperature of the mixture.
- If too hot (over 130℉) it will kill the yeast when added.
- Sprinkle in the yeast.
- Stir to combine then add about half of the flour.
- Using the flat beater of your mixer, beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
- During this time, any potato lumps should break down and be well incorporated in the dough.
- Switch from the flat beater to the dough hook of your mixer.
- Add the remaining flour.
- Mix on medium speed to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes.
- The dough will be on the loose side, tacky but not sticky.
- Lightly oil a large bowl.
- Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl.
- Gently turn the dough so that the entire surface is lightly oiled.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dampened towel.
- Place in a warm spot for about two hours.
- When the dough has sufficiently risen to at least double in size, press down on the dough with your fist to deflate it.
- Think I should have used a much larger bowl on this one!
- Turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead a few times to tighten it up.
- Using a pastry scraper or knife, cut the dough into equal halves.
- A digital scale can be helpful here.
- Line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper.
- Lining the pans with parchment helps to produce bread with a very soft crust.
- Alternatively, you can skip the paper and grease the inside of the pans with oil or butter.
- Place the portioned dough in each of the loaf pans.
- Gently press the dough into each pan so that it covers the bottom of the pan.
- Coat the top of each loaf with a light layer of olive oil.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about an hour, until the dough has once again doubled in size.
- When the dough in the pans is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350℉.
- The rack should be placed in the middle of the oven.
- Remove the plastic wrap.
- If desired, sprinkle the top of each loaf with a light dusting of flour.
- Place the pans in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
- When done, the internal temperature of each loaf should be between 190℉ to 200℉.
- When cool enough to handle, remove the loaves from the pans.
- Place them directly on a wire rack to completely cool before slicing.
I depend on my handy Bamboo Bread Slicer similar to this one. It guides me in creating perfectly even slices with ease.
Serving suggestions for your Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread…
- Enjoy freshly baked slices of this bread with good quality butter.
- Toast a slice or two and turn it into the best cinnamon toast.
- Perfect base for egg salad, tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiches. As is or toasted.
- The natural moisture & richness of potato bread make it ideal for an extra-crispy grilled cheese.
- Slice it on the thick side and make your favorite French toast.
Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread
Adapted from Simply Recipes
This easy-to-make dough produces two hearty loaves of delicious sandwich bread.
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small russet potatoes, peeled & cubed (about 12 ounces)
- 2 cups whole milk or reduced-fat milk (488 grams)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (680 grams, if using SFM the volume is 4 3/4 cups)
Instructions
-
Add the potatoes to a pot of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat & cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes using a fork or hand masher.
You will need about a cup (8 ounces) of the mashed potatoes for this recipe.
-
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Add the salt and granulated sugar. Place over medium heat until the milk begins to bubble at the edges. Remove from the heat. Stir to be sure the salt and sugar are dissolved.
Add the olive oil and mashed potatoes to the milk mixture. Whisk to combine.
-
Pour the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer. Allow it to cool slightly so that it is just warm to the touch.
Using a digital thermometer, check the temperature of the mixture. If too hot (over 130℉) it will kill the yeast when added.
-
Sprinkle in the yeast. Stir to combine then add about half of the flour. Using the flat beater of your mixer, beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. During this time, any potato lumps should break down and be well incorporated in the dough.
-
Switch from the flat beater to the dough hook of your mixer. Add the remaining flour. Mix on medium speed to knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be on the loose side, tacky but not sticky.
-
Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl. Gently turn the dough so that the entire surface is lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dampened towel. Place in a warm spot for about two hours.
-
When the dough has sufficiently risen to at least double in size, press down on the dough with your fist to deflate it. Turn it out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead a few times to tighten it up. Using a pastry scraper or knife, cut the dough into equal halves. A digital scale can be helpful here.
-
Line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper. Lining the pans with parchment helps to produce bread with a very soft crust.
Alternatively, the inside of the pans can be greased with oil or butter.
Place the dough in each of the loaf pans. Gently press the dough into each pan so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Coat the top of each loaf with a light layer of olive oil.
Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about an hour, until the dough has once again doubled in size.
-
When the dough in the pans is almost finished rising, preheat the oven to 350℉. The rack should be placed in the middle of the oven.
-
Remove the plastic wrap. If desired, sprinkle the top of each loaf with a light dusting of flour. Place the pans in the preheated oven.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. When done, the internal temperature of each loaf should be between 190℉ to 200℉.
When cool enough to handle, remove the loaves from the pans. Place them directly on a wire rack to completely cool before slicing.
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More delicious homemade bread to try…
