Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes – a delicious recipe with potatoes, water, flour, yeast, salt, fresh chives. Easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.
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Prepare the potatoes in advance, allowing time for the potatoes and the cooking water to cool to lukewarm.
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Set these aside until needed.
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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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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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Let this sit uncovered for 30 minutes.
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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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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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Add flour or water if needed.
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Add the chives and continue kneading (or mixing) until they are evenly distributed, about 2 minutes.
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(In the mixer, the dough should clear the sides of the bowl as well as the bottom of the bowl.)
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The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58), be very tacky but not sticky, and register 77 to 81F.
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Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
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Ferment at room temperature for about 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
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Transfer the dough to the counter and cut it into 2 equal pieces.
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Press each piece into the shape of a rectangle approximately 6 inches wide by 8 inches long.
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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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Tightly roll up the dough, from bottom to top, jelly-roll style, creating a spiral with the cheese.
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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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This will give the dough a torpedo look, plump in the center and tapered at the ends.
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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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Seal the bottom seam closed with the edge of your hand, as shown on page 81.
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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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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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Proof at room temperature for approximately 1 hour, or until the dough nearly doubles in size.
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Prepare the oven for hearth baking page 9194, making sure to have an empty steam pan in place.
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Preheat the oven to 500F.
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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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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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Slide the loaves onto the baking stone or bake the loaves directly on the pan.
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Pour 1 cup hot water into the steam pan and shut the door.
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After 30 seconds, spray the oven walls with water and close the door again.
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Repeat twice more at 30-second intervals.
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After the final spray, lower the oven setting to 450F and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
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After 15 minutes, rotate the loaves 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking.
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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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The cheese will bubble out of the cuts, crisp up, and also brown.
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Transfer the finished loaves to a rack and cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing or serving.
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Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; mixed leavening method
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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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These are mixed-method (wild yeast spiked with commercial yeast) batards.
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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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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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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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Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes %
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Potatoes: 44.4%
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Potato water (approx.
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): 33.3%
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Barm: 58.3%
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Bread flour: 100%
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Instant yeast: 1.2%
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Salt: 2.8%
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Chives: 5.6%
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Cheese: 22.2%
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Total: 267.8%
* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.
No additional tips available.
No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.
You need 9 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 1 large or 2 small (8 ounces) unpeeled potatoes, coarsely chopped, boiled in 3 cups water until soft, and cooled, 1/2 to 1 cup (4 to 8 ounces) potato water, lukewarm (90 to 100F) (saved from above), 1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) barm (page 230), 4 cups (18 ounces) unbleached bread flour, and more.
Yes, Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedoes falls under the General category and is a great choice for this type of meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.