La Belle Patate

Does anyone out there make their own rolls for the holidays anymore? I used to think it was too much work, but then I discovered this incredible potato roll recipe that you make in a muffin tin.  It uses up leftover mashed potatoes and creates moist little rolls that are the perfect size for mopping up gravy or snacking on before dinner. 

I don't know about you, but I think making your own rolls and freezing them a few days before Christmas would be the perfect way to impress a mother in law at the big day's dinner. Plus, you can also half the recipe to get 12 rolls and a loaf of delicious raisin bread for breakfast. Who could say no to that now?

Potato Rolls - makes 24 rolls or 12 rolls and a loaf of bread

1 1/2 cups of warm water

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

2 1/2 teaspoons salt 

1 1/4 cups mashed potatoes, cooled 

2 tablespoons, milk

Poppy seeds or sesame seeds, for garnish

1/2 cup raisins or sliced olives (blotted dry with paper towel), for bread (optional)

1. Start by microwaving 1 cup of the water, milk, and butter until the butter is melted. Set aside. 

2. Next combine the remaining 1/2 cup water with the yeast and set aside to allow the yeast to bloom and become frothy, about 5-10 minutes.

3. Next, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and potatoes in a large bowl. Crumble together with your hands. 

4. Add the yeast and milk mixtures to the flour and mix until combined. 

5. Next, knead with a stand mixer or your hands until and elastic, about 10 minutes by hand and a little less in a stand mixer. 

6. Now let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. When you press a finger to the dough, the dough should spring back slowly. 

7. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease two muffin tins (if making 24 rolls). Rolls dough out into logs and cut into 72 small pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place three balls into each muffin tin hole. 

8. Brush tops of rolls with a little milk and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds. And set aside for about 30 minutes to allow dough to double in size again. 

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until rolls are browned and firm to the touch. Remove from the muffin tins and enjoy! 

Note: if you wanted to make a loaf of raisin or olive bread as well as rolls, at step 7 only fill one muffin tin with rolls and save the other half of the dough for the bread. Knead the raisins or olives into the dough and place into a bread tin to double in size for 30 minutes before baking at 400 for 30-40 minutes or until brown and firm on top. 

I suggest trying both the raisin and olive bread because they are both delicious!