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1
Prepare the potatoes in advance, allowing time for the potatoes and the cooking water to cool to lukewarm.
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2
Set these aside until needed.
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3
Pull the measured amount of barm out of the refrigerator 1 hour before making the bread to take off the chill.
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4
With a large metal spoon, stir together the barm, half of the flour, the yeast, cooked potatoes, and 1/2 cup of the potato water in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment).
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5
Let this sit uncovered for 30 minutes.
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6
Add the rest of the flour and the salt and mix together until the ingredients form a ball, adding as much as you need of the remaining water.
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7
Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and knead the dough for about 6 minutes (or mix on medium-low speed with the dough hook).
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8
Add flour or water if needed.
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9
Add the chives and continue kneading (or mixing) until they are evenly distributed, about 2 minutes.
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10
(In the mixer, the dough should clear the sides of the bowl as well as the bottom of the bowl.)
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11
The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58), be very tacky but not sticky, and register 77 to 81F.
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12
Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil.
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13
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
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14
Ferment at room temperature for about 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
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15
Transfer the dough to the counter and cut it into 2 equal pieces.
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16
Press each piece into the shape of a rectangle approximately 6 inches wide by 8 inches long.
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17
Lay 3 slices of cheese on each rectangle, covering the surface but leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered around the edges.
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18
Tightly roll up the dough, from bottom to top, jelly-roll style, creating a spiral with the cheese.
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19
Seal the ends of the rolled dough, which should look like a log, into points by rolling them more forcefully with your hands.
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20
This will give the dough a torpedo look, plump in the center and tapered at the ends.
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21
As you roll down on the ends, be sure to squeeze out all trapped air pockets to avoid separation of the layers.
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22
Seal the bottom seam closed with the edge of your hand, as shown on page 81.
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23
Line a sheet pan with baking parchment, mist the parchment lightly with spray oil, then dust the parchment with cornmeal or semolina flour.
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24
Lay the 2 loaves across the width of the pan, mist the tops lightly with spray oil, and cover them loosely with plastic wrap or a towel.
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25
Proof at room temperature for approximately 1 hour, or until the dough nearly doubles in size.
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26
Prepare the oven for hearth baking page 9194, making sure to have an empty steam pan in place.
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27
Preheat the oven to 500F.
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28
Score the top of each loaf with 2 diagonal slashes as shown on page 90, making sure to cut through to the first layer of cheese.
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29
Generously dust a peel or the back of a sheet pan with semolina flour or cornmeal and very gently transfer the loaves, with or without parchment, to the peel or pan.
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30
Slide the loaves onto the baking stone or bake the loaves directly on the pan.
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31
Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan and shut the door.
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32
After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door again.
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33
Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals.
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34
After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450F and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
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35
After 15 minutes, rotate the loaves 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking.
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36
The loaves should register 200F in the center, be nicely browned all over, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
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37
The cheese will bubble out of the cuts, crisp up, and also brown.
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38
Transfer the finished loaves to a rack and cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.
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39
Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; mixed leavening method
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40
1 hour to prepare potatoes and de-chill barm; 45 minutes mixing; 3 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 35 to 4o minutes baking.
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41
These are mixed-method (wild yeast spiked with commercial yeast) batards.
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42
They pucker open with a grigne of crispy Cheddar cheese, followed by a beautiful soft cheese spiral highlighted with bits of green chives.
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43
Notice that the bread is made with a wet-sponge starter (the barm), but it can also be made with a firm starter, in which case you will need about 1/2 cup more water or potato water.
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44
The potato water, by the way, adds minerals and dissolved potato starch and sugars that greatly enhance the flavor and soften the dough.
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45
Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes %
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46
Potatoes: 44.4%
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47
Potato water (approx.
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48
): 33.3%
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49
Barm: 58.3%
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50
Bread flour: 100%
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51
Instant yeast: 1.2%
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52
Salt: 2.8%
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53
Chives: 5.6%
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54
Cheese: 22.2%
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55
Total: 267.8%
