Puffy Potato Rolls Food

POTATO ROLLS

Steps:

• Cook the potato in a microwave on HIGH until soft and it squeezes easily, using the designated baked potato setting, or up to 15 minutes. Peel and pass the warm potato through a potato ricer or food mill into a large bowl. (You should have 1 cup pureed potato.)
• Stir the hot water, eggs, half the sugar and yeast into the potato. Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt and mix with a wooden spoon to make a sticky, shaggy dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Beat the butter with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Switch to the dough hook and add the risen dough to the creamed butter. Continue to mix on low until the butter and dough come together, about 1 minute. (Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl if needed; the dough will be very sticky.) Gradually add the remaining 2 1/4 cups of flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, to make a shaggy dough that pulls away from the side of the bowl. Continue kneading on medium speed until dough is smooth but still tacky, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until dough is smooth and no longer tacky, 1 to 2 minutes more. (If the dough is still sticky, gradually add 1/4 cup flour.) Shape dough into a ball.
• Brush a large bowl with butter and turn dough around in bowl to coat lightly. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, trace a circle the size of the dough on the plastic, and note the time. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Generously butter two 9-inch round or square cake pans. Turn the dough out of the bowl and pat into a rectangle about 16- by 8-inches, gently pressing out excess air. Divide the dough into 32 equal portions, about an ounce each, with a pizza wheel or bench scraper.
• (If you don't have a scale, divide the dough in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Cut each of those four sections into 8 equal-sized rolls.)
• Tuck the edges of the dough under to make round rolls and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan, leaving a little space in between each roll. (See Cook's Note) Cover the pan with buttered plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the rolls rise almost to the rim of the pan and have more than doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Bake rolls until golden brown and puffy, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the rolls registers 190 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove rolls from the oven and quickly brush the tops with soft butter.
• Cook the rolls in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a rack in one piece. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature in one piece or pulled apart as individual rolls.

CRISPY POTATO BALLS

Steps:

• Mix together the Mashed Potatoes, flour, egg, parsley, Parmesan, mozzarella and black pepper in a bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a large plate.
• Form the potato mix into 12 golf-ball-sized balls. The mixture will be a little sticky, so wet your hands a little as you go. Place the balls directly on the breadcrumbs and roll each ball in the breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure they stick well. Put the breadcrumbed balls on a plate.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F, or until the mixture bubbles when a breadcrumb is added.
• Add the balls to the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle immediately with salt.
• Garnish with more Parmesan and parsley.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces of approximately the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until a fork easily slides into the potatoes with no resistance and the potatoes almost, but not totally, fall apart, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drain the potatoes in a large colander. Place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over a low heat, allowing all the steam to escape.
• Turn off the stove and add the butter, cream cheese and half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Add the seasoned salt and black pepper.
• Stir well and place in a medium baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place bake until the butter has melted and the potatoes are warmed through, a few minutes.

POTATO ROLLS

Steps:

• Put the potato in a medium pot or saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil over high and cook until the potato pieces are very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl, then use a fork to thoroughly mash the potato. Measure 2/3 cup/130 grams of mashed potato and set aside until cooled. Measure 1/2 cup/120 milliliters of the potato cooking liquid and add it to a large bowl. Let the water cool to about 100 degrees.
• Sprinkle the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar over the top of the reserved potato cooking liquid. Let sit until the yeast is activated and foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining 3 teaspoons sugar, the reserved mashed potato, and the butter, egg and salt to the bowl. Stir to combine. Add the flour and stir to combine. The dough will be shaggy at first, but it will come together. Turn the shaggy dough out onto a surface and knead until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 5 minutes.
• Place the dough into a clean, oiled bowl and rub the surface of the dough with a bit of oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• Butter a 8-inch square metal baking pan. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, and cut into 9 even pieces (about 75 grams each). Fold the edges of each piece of dough toward the center and pinch together the edges. Place each ball, seam side down on a surface, then cup your hand over the dough and use the surface and your hand to roll the dough into a tight ball. Use a very light dusting of flour, if necessary, to keep the dough from sticking.
• Place the dough balls into the prepared pan, cover, and let rise in a warm place until the dough balls are puffy and touching one another and almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center. Bake the rolls until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let rolls cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before serving. These rolls will keep for a day or two in an airtight container at room temperature. Rewarm before serving, if desired.