

Did you know? The words company, accompany, and companion come from the root words com- and panis (together and bread)? A companion is someone with whom you break the bread. I love that bread and friendship are etymologically associated. I recently made this recipe to give as a thank you gift to a neighbor who was very friendly and helpful (thanks, Chip!).
I used half the amount of potatoes to keep the loaf lighter. You can still taste the sweetness of the potatoes, but they aren’t overbearing. My Mom’s recipe called for rosemary. I used basil which is completely different, I know, but just as yummy in the end result. The crust is nice and chewy while the inside is light and slightly sweet. I like how the petite potatoes (red, yellow, and purple) add a subtle bit of flair to the finished loaf.

Parmesan Potato Bread
I used half the amount of potatoes to keep the loaf lighter. You can still taste the sweetness of the potatoes, but they aren't overbearing. My Mom's recipe called for rosemary. I used basil which is completely different, I know, but just as yummy in the end result. The crust is nice and chewy while the inside is light and slightly sweet. I like how the petite potatoes (red, yellow, and purple) add a subtle bit of flair to the finished loaf.
Ingredients
- 2 scant tablespoons (or 2 ¼-ounce packages) active dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water about 110 degrees
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup coarsely shredded raw potato original recipe calls for 2 cups
- 1 cup finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
- 6-7 cups unbleached flour
- additional olive oil
Instructions
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In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Add salt, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, potato, cheese, and 3 cups flour. Beat vigorously for two minutes.
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Gradually add flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
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Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead, adding flour a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
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Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until doubled, about one hour.
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Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place onto a well-greased baking sheet. Cover with a tightly woven towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
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About 10 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a shallow pan on the bottom shelf of the oven.
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Just before baking, brush each loaf liberally with extra olive oil and cut a cross about ¼-inch deep into the top.
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Place the bread in the oven and put 5 ice cubes into the pan on the bottom shelf. Close the door quickly to prevent steam from escaping.
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Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the loaves reaches 190 degrees.
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Immediately remove bread from baking sheet and cool on a rack.
Check out this post (http://cookingwithbarryandmeta.blogspot.com/2016/05/parmesan-potato-bread-recipe-from-betsy.html) on the Cooking with Barry & Meta blog for a version of this recipe with some nice “prep” pictures. Cheers, Mark