Potato Dinner Rolls

Why this recipe works While the decadently buttery white dinner rolls associated with holiday dinners are delicious, sometimes we crave something similarly soft and tender but a little leaner. Old-fashioned potato rolls, with their light, moist crumb, fit the bill. Potato roll recipes abound, but almost none specify what type of potato to use, and some turn out heavy, rather than feathery-light, rolls. We wanted to nail down a foolproof recipe for these tender rolls. We learned when we developed our Potato-Dill Sandwich Bread recipe that more starch is better, so we chose high-starch russets. Potato starch granules are about five times larger than wheat granules, so they can absorb at least five times as much water, resulting in a moister crumb. As we made batch after batch of rolls with different amounts of mashed russets, we discovered something interesting: The more potato we used, the less time the dough needed to rise. As it turns out, the potassium in potatoes activates yeast; the more of it there is, the quicker and more vigorous the rise. This led us to consider the cooking water. When potatoes are boiled, they leach almost half of their potassium into the water, which helped explain why so many recipes called for adding it to the dough. We found that when we switched from using 5 tablespoons of milk to using the same amount of potato cooking water, the rising times dropped still more. These rolls weren’t just light, moist, and satisfying; they needed significantly less rising time than many standard dinner rolls. Don’t salt the water in which you boil the potatoes.

MAKES: 12 rolls

RISING TIME: 1 to 2 hours

BAKING TIME: 12 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2½ to 3½ hours, plus 15 minutes cooling time

KEY EQUIPMENT: medium saucepan, potato ricer, rimmed baking sheet, pastry brush

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large russet potato (10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2¼ cups (12⅓ ounces) bread flour
• 2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water and pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the potato in a medium saucepan and cover it with 1 inch of cold water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the potato is just tender (a paring knife can be slipped in and out of the potato with little resistance), for about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Transfer 5 tablespoons (2½ ounces) of the potato cooking water to a 4-cup liquid measuring cup and let it cool completely. Drain the potatoes and return them to the now-empty saucepan.
3. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, shaking it occasionally, until any surface moisture has evaporated, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, process the potatoes through a ricer or a food mill, or mash them well with a potato masher. Measure 1 cup of very firmly packed potatoes (8 ounces) and transfer them to a separate bowl.
4. Stir in the butter until melted and let the mixture cool completely before using. Discard any remaining mashed potatoes or save them for another use.
5. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the egg and sugar into the potato cooking water until the sugar has dissolved. Add the mashed potato mixture to the flour mixture and mix with your hands until combined (some large lumps are okay).
6. Using the dough hook on low speed, slowly add the cooking water mixture and mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom, about 8 minutes.
7. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Press down on the dough to deflate it. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and stretch it into an even 12-inch log. Cut the log into 12 equal pieces (about 2 ounces each) and cover loosely with greased plastic.
9. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep the remaining pieces covered), form it into a rough ball by stretching the dough around your thumbs and pinching the edges together so that the top is smooth. Place the ball seam side down on the clean counter and, using your cupped hand, drag it in small circles until the dough feels taut and round.
10. Arrange the dough balls seam side down on the prepared sheet, spaced about 1½ inches apart. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let them rise until nearly doubled in size and the dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Unrisen rolls can be refrigerated for at least 8 hours or up to 16 hours; let the rolls sit at room temperature for 1 hour before baking.)
11. Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently brush the rolls with the egg mixture and bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking.
12. Transfer the rolls to a wire rack and let them cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

VARIATIONS:

POTATO DINNER ROLLS WITH CHEDDAR AND MUSTARD 

• Stir ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1 teaspoon dry mustard into flour mixture in step 5.
• Sprinkle each roll with 1 teaspoon shredded cheddar (¼ cup total) before baking.

POTATO BURGER BUNS

• Divide dough into 9 pieces (about 2¾ ounces each) and shape into smooth, taut rounds as directed in step 9.
• Let rounds rest for 15 minutes, then press into 3½-inch disks of even thickness. Arrange disks on 2 parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheets and let rise as directed in step 10.
• Sprinkle rolls with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, if desired, and bake on upper-middle and middle racks until rolls are deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
• Makes 9 burger buns.