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This Italian bread is typically found in the inland areas of Abruzzo particularly in L’Aquila and Teramo, where potatoes are grown. Potato was originally added to bread dough in the Abruzzo region as potatoes grew well in the region and were a cheaper ingredient than wheat. It is a flavoursome bread, with a moist crumb that keeps very well.
Care is needed when preparing the potatoes for adding to the dough. It is tempting to chop them up in a food processor, but if you do so you’ll get a starchy mess. Chopping by hand or using a potato ricer is ideal. You can leave the skins on the potato if you are chopping by hand.
Italian Potato Bread – Abruzzo style
Cooked potato is a key ingredient in this recipe which it has its origins in Abruzzo, Italy. Chop up or use a potato ricer. A food processor will make the chopped potatoes very starchy. You can leave the skins on if you wish. This bread makes wonderful sandwiches. This loaf works particularly well with Italian Type 00 flour but you can use white bread flour or a mix of 50:50 granary style flour and white flour. This recipe uses yeast and some sourdough starter if you have some. The starter is used solely for flavour in this case. Omit if you do not have any. Soaking (autolysing) the flour will make it easier to knead. A final tip, I find this loaf needs baking longer than usual. Placing two balls of dough in the tin enables an even bake. Do test that the internal temperature has reached 95°C
Equipment
- 1 Large bowl (you can used the stand mixer bowl)
- Digital scales
- Dough scraper
- box with a lid
- Stand mixer (you can knead by hand)
- Banetton or 2lb loaf tin
- Cast iron pan 23 cm is ideal
- Baking parchment
- Cutting board or similar, for inverting the dough
Ingredients
- 300 grams white bread flour Type 00 or standard white flour
- 100 grams cooked potato chopped or put through a ricer
- 6 grams salt
- 50 millilitres sourdough starter optional
- 280 millilitres water
- 7 grams instant dried yeast (1 sachet)
Instructions
- Measure out the water. You will need this to measure 22? or 73?
- Place the flour into the bowl and mix in the yeast. Add the starter if using. Add the water and roughly mix. You do not add the salt at this stage
- Leave for 15 minutes to half an hour. This is called autolysing. It will make the dough easier to knead.
- Add the salt and potato and mix in. You can knead either by machine or by hand.
- Approximate timings are 5 minutes at low speed in the machine and 5 minutes at medium speed. The dough is ready when it has reached 24? to 26? (73?). It should come away from the sides of the bowl and feel elastic when stretched. You may need to mix a further 1 or 2 minutes
- Or knead by hand until the dough has reached 24? to 26? (73?). It should feel elastic and not tear too easily
- Cover and either leave for 30 minutes before putting the fridge. Or leave for 1.5 hours. If you put it in the fridge you can leave it overnight before the next step.
- Fold the dough twice. Imagine the dough in quarters. Pull up a quarter and fold towards you. Do this 3 more times. This is one fold.
- Pre heat your oven at least 30 minutes before you intend to bake.
- Take the dough out of the bowl. Shape into a round by pulling a quarter of the dough toward you and over the top of the dough, then the next quarter and so on. Allow to rest for 10 minutes
- Prepare your banetton or bread tin.
- Shape your bread for the tins. Cut the ball of dough into two. Take your rounded dough. Pull the dough up and over on four sides to shape into a ball. Place the two balls side by side in tin. You may find you need to squash them up a little.
- Alternatively, shape into a ball. Turn over and fold each side into the middle then roll up and place in your banetton
- Prove for one hour
- Pre heat your oven for at least 15 minutes to 230?/ 450? . If using a cast iron pan, place in the oven to heat through.
- If baking in the cast iron pan, place a strip of baking parchment on top of the dough, place a cutting board on top and invert so your dough is the right way up.
- Score the top of the dough using a lame or very sharp knife making diagonal cuts. For the tin loaf make three snips with a pair of scissors.
- For the loaf tins: Spray your oven with water and add your tins. Bake for 40 minutes. Test with the digital thermometer that the centre has reached 95°C or 200°F
- For baking in the cast iron pan. Pick up the baking parchment and place into the bottom of the pan. Place the lid on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Take the lid off and bake a further 15 minutes.
- Allow to cool a little before taking out of the tin.
Notes
Do wait until the bread is completely cooled before cooking
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