The soft rolls with potatoes and durum wheat semolina can be used for both sweet and savory preparations. They are very soft, delicious, and also very easy to make. We can prepare them for a buffet, for a dinner with friends, as a snack, or for a picnic. The dough of these rolls is so soft and pleasant to work with that a mixer isn’t necessary, but can be kneaded by hand in a large bowl. In addition to being delicious, the rolls with potatoes and durum wheat semolina also have another advantage: they stay soft for several days. Enjoy them filled with vegetables, with hamburgers, or spread with Nutella, jam, etc…The potato and semolina rolls are ideal for having a bread supply ready to use when needed.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup durum wheat semolina
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fresh yeast
- 1/3 cup water
- doubled starter dough
- 1 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 3/4 cup durum wheat semolina
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 1/2 oz boiled potatoes
Preparation
Boil the potatoes (usually one is enough), peel them, mash them, and let them cool.
In the meantime, prepare the starter dough by dissolving the yeast in a bowl with a tablespoon of water, taken from the 1/3 cup provided. Add the sifted flour mix, the remaining water, and knead to obtain a soft dough.
Let it rise until doubled, covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
When the starter dough has doubled its volume, add it to the main roll dough.
In a bowl or a mixer, place the starter dough, the cold potato puree, the sifted flour mix, the salt, and the water (you may need a little more or less, depending on the ambient temperature and humidity; that’s why it should be added a little at a time.
Knead all the ingredients until you get a homogeneous, soft dough, then cover it perfectly and let it rise until doubled.
When the dough is nice and puffy, divide it into 8 pieces of about 100 grams each.
Shape the rolls
1) Slightly flatten each piece and roll it from top to bottom (towards you); you’ll get a small cylinder.
2) Place the cylinder vertically, with the seam facing you, and roll it again from top to bottom. These steps help to give structure to the rolls, making them even softer.
If you want oblong rolls, leave them in the cylindrical shape, gently elongating the ends.
If you want round rolls instead, do an additional step: roll the cylinder onto itself to form a small sphere, sealing the seam with your fingers.
Optionally decorate the surface of the rolls with small cuts as desired, place them on a baking tray (spacing them at least two fingers apart) lined with parchment paper and let them rise until doubled in a turned-off, closed oven.
When the rolls are well risen, turn on the oven and set the temperature to 340°F.
Bake the rolls at mid-height in the hot oven for about 20-25 minutes at most. Cooking times may vary from oven to oven, especially if the heat comes simultaneously from above and below.
Once cooked, remove them and let them cool at room temperature. Then put them in food bags to further preserve their freshness. They can be frozen as soon as they become cold.
