potato rolls w/ leftover mashed potatos

[rzn]

has anyone ever used leftover mashed potatos to make potato rolls or do you always make new? Would like to try & use up some mashed that we had for dinner, getting tired of potato patties.....

how much will the milk & butter in them affect the bread?

[boar_d_laze]

You're not going to get rid of much potato by baking potato rolls, since the ratio of potato to flour is about 8 to 1 by volume -- give or take. You'd think that the milk/butter thing would be a big deal. The butter is a little, but the milk not very much. The butter will cost you some lightness, but add some flavor. The milk will go partway to replacing the "potato water" normally used, and lend a bit of a cake-like texture.

The thing of it is, you have to know how to make a dough without being a slave to a measuring cup. That is, you have to know what a bread dough should look and feel like because you're going to be vamping on the liquid/flour ratio. Assuming you're going to use a cup of mashed potatoes and 8 cups of flour -- starting from fresh potatoes, you'd figure on something slightly in excess of 3 cups of water -- including about a cup of "potato water." I'd start with 7 cups of flour and about 2-1/2 cups of water (which includes whatever you use to proof the yeast) start mixing, and add water slowly until the dough can pick up all the flour -- holding enough flour in reserve in case you went a little too far -- which you'll feel as the kneading process moves along.

BDL

[rzn]

thanks, it sounds like it will be worth at least trying. I just didn't want to spend the time & money on ingredients if it was going to be a for sure waste of time & effort. Thank you for taking the time to reply

[boar_d_laze]

rzn,

Glad I could help, if only a little. Reading over what I wrote before, I'm not sure if I was clear that for the cup of potatoes and 7 - 8 cups of flour I suggested, you'll need AT LEAST 2-1/2 cups of water. In other words, you can start with that much safely -- and you can also count on needing 1/4 - 1/2 cup more (at least).

FWIW, I sometimes add finely minced scallions or chives to potato bread. A touch of dill is another nice addition. So is a few table spoons of cottage cheese or ricotta. Potato/scallion/dill/cottage-cheese -- hmmm starting to sound like a Scandinavian, onion-dill bread. In fact, that's what it would be.

At any rate... you got me off my rusty dusty. I just finishing putting together enough dough for a couple of loaves of Struan bread. It's just starting on its first rise now.

Thanks,
BDL

[rzn]

of course after i posted this morning my daughter had a friend over & they polished off the leftovers for lunch, so won't be able to try it for awhile. Started some Parker House rolls for supper instead.
Next time. What is struan bread? Been sort of in a rut myself, have a few different ones we make all the time & been looking for different stuff to try.

[boar_d_laze]

Struan bread is a multi-grain bread developed by Peter Reinhardt and first published, I think, in his Brother Juniper's book. Here's a link to a recipe: Struan Bread | The Fresh Loaf

Very good for general purpose, including rolls. It's highest use though is as a sliced loaf for toasting. Best toast ever.

BDL