Potato Rolls

Our family loves these soft fragrant yeast rolls and I almost always make them when we have large gatherings.  This batch made 28 nice sized clover leaf rolls.  My version is adapted from a red plaid Better Homes and Gardens cookbook published in 1976.

Ingredients:

1/2 C. cold left over mashed potatoes at room temperature*
4-4 1/2 C. all purpose flour  (I use King Arthur flour)
2 1/2 t. instant yeast  ( I use from a 1 pound block of instant yeast I ordered from King Arthur, it is always fresh)
1 1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. butter
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1 egg at room temperature


In a large mixing bowl combine 2 C. of the flour and the yeast and whisk it together.  Set this aside.

In a small sauce pan heat the milk, sugar, butter, and salt just until it is warm (115-120 degrees F.) stirring constantly until the butter is almost melted.    If the temperature gets over 120 degrees you will need to cool it down lest the heat kills the yeast.  

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients then add the mashed potato and the egg.  Beat at low speed with the mixer for 30 seconds.  Scrape the sides of the bowl well.  Beat 3 minutes at high speed.  By hand add enough of the flour  to make a soft dough.  Knead by machine for 6 minutes or by hand for 8.

Dough should not be terribly wet and sticky but rather soft, smooth and elastic.   Shape into a large ball and place into a large buttered bowl turning once to coat all sides.  Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour until doubled in bulk.

Punch down;  turn onto a lightly floured work surface and  cover.  Let the dough rest for 10 minutes then divide the dough in half, then in quarters, then each quarter into 6 equal portions.  Shape each portion into a ball and place it into a buttered muffin tin.  Continue until you have used all of the dough to form the rolls.  Take a clean sharp scissors and clip the top half of the roll in half.  Then clip again so you have formed a cross in the top of the roll.  Using your fingers push the top of the roll down just the smallest bit to round the top off.

Cover and set aside to raise for about an hour until almost doubled.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
Bake in a hot oven for 10-12 minutes.  Yield 24-28 rolls.

* If you do not have left over mashed potatoes boil 1 small potato in 1 C. water for 10-15 minutes.  Drain and mash.  Measure and set aside to cool 1/2 C. mashed potato.  

Note:  I under bake the rolls, cool them completely, wrap them well and freeze them.  Then I thaw and finish baking as needed.