Homemade Potato Rolls

Yeast rolls made even better with the addition of mashed potatoes.
Wish you could smell the wonderfulness...better yet, make some and enjoy!

The beauty of this recipe, besides taste...you can used leftover mashed potatoes.


Homemade Potato Rolls
www.whispersofthyme.blogspot.com 
(yields 9x13 pan of rolls)

Ingredients:

4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon instant yeast [or 1 package (1/4 ounce)  yeast]

1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees) water (best if from cooking potatoes)

1/2 cup mashed potatoes

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar, divided

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

*Optional (egg wash): 1 egg yolk and tablespoon or two of milk (or water) beaten with a fork to brush on top of rolls before baking

Directions:
Begin by boiling potatoes until tender, reserving water (or use leftover mashed potatoes, but keep in mind that you may want to reduce salt in recipe if they were prepared with salt.)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar...let sit for 10 minutes.

Add mashed potatoes, melted butter, 2 cups of flour, salt, and remaining sugar to the yeast mixture, and mix on low speed for a minute, then using a dough hook, mix on medium speed for a few minutes, stopping to scrape bowl once or twice. Add in enough remaining flour to allow dough to come together in a ball. 

Place dough ball on clean, lightly floured surface, and knead a few times until dough is smooth. (At this point, you may store covered dough in fridge for up to one day, or you can continue making rolls.)

Divide dough into 24 balls and shape into smooth rolls, using floured hands. Place rolls in a 9x13 GREASED pan. Cover pan with clean towel and set in a warm place away from drafts. Let rolls rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size. *Once doubled, brush rolls with egg wash, if using.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pan in oven and bake rolls for 17 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit in pan for about 20 minutes before removing from pan and serving.

Personal preferences:
1) Use 2 teaspoons of salt in recipe...note: I use unsalted butter;

2) Brush the risen, unbaked rolls with egg wash;

3) Bake rolls in a glass pan in order to tell when the bottom (as well as tops) of rolls are
    golden brown;

4) Brush baked rolls with melted butter while still in pan.