Potato Black Pepper Sourdough Bread

Potato makes sourdough bread so much softer and black pepper adds a special kick to the flavor.

This loaf turned out so well!

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter 

• 5g sourdough starter
• 35g water
• 30g bread flour
• 5g rye flour

Dough

• 270g bread flour (90%)
• 30g stone ground whole wheat flour (10%)
• 210g water (70%)
• 9g (3%) cold water added along with salt, total hydration 73%
• 60g sourdough starter (20%)
• 120g mashed potatoes (40%)
• 9g salt (3%)
• 3g black pepper (1%)

Directions 

Starter 

• 7 am add starter to the water and whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover loosely, let it sit at a room temp 74-78F for about 8-10 hours until starter reaches its peak (at least triples in volume).
• Learn how to make starter from scratch here

Note: for starter’s refreshments follow your regular proportions 

Dough

• 5 pm mix water with flour and mashed potatoes and cover, let it rest 1 hour for autolyse.
• During the autolyse process flour absorbs water, becoming fully hydrated. This activates gluten development.
• 6 pm add sourdough starter. 
• Mix on low speed of your mixing machine for 2-3 min, or KitchenAid on speed 3 for 3-4 minutes until well incorporated.
• Cover, let it rest for 30 minutes.

• 6:30 pm add salt and extra water. 
• The process of adding extra water is called bassinage, it helps to tighten up gluten. Mix on low speed of your mixing machine for 2-3 min, or with KitchenAid on speed 3 for 5-6 minutes until well incorporated. The dough should come up together, but still be sticky on the bottom.
• We will continue gluten development and structure building by performing stretches and folds during the warm fermentation period.
• Leave to rest 30 minutes. At 74-78F /23-26C
• 7 pm spray your work surface with water, wet your hands to perform lamination.

• Lamination is the process of stretching the dough as thin as you can without ripping it.
• Spread black pepper all over the dough, fold and let it rest for 45 minutes.
• 7:45 pm 1st stretch and fold.
• 8:30 pm 2nd stretch and fold.
• 9.15 pm 3rd stretch and fold.
• Performing stretches and folds will help with gluten development. Keep monitoring the dough, if it rises too fast, you can shorten the time between stretches to 40 minutes or less.

• After the final stretch let the dough proof for 30 minutes at 76-80F/ 23-26C. You should see some bubbles on the surface, the dough has to become lighter. We are looking for 50% rise. 

Preshaping

• 9:45 pm transfer the dough on to a work surface and dust its top with flour. Flip the dough over so the floured side faces down.
• Fold the dough onto itself so the flour on the surface remains entirely on the outside of the loaf. This will become the crust.
• Place the dough round on a work surface and let it rest for 30 minutes uncovered.

Shaping 

• 10.15 pm dust the dough with flour. Use a dough scraper to flip it over on to a work surface so the floured sides face down.
• Starting with the side closest to you, pull the right 2 corners of the dough to the left, then fold them up into half of the dough. Repeat this action with the other side too.
• Finally, roll the dough. Shape it into a smooth, taut roll.
• Transfer the roll, seam side up, to a prepared proofing basket (loaf pan with kitchen towel).
• Cover it with plastic and return the dough to the 80F (27C) environment for 15 minutes.
• Then transfer the dough to rise for 14-24 hours in the refrigerator.

Baking

Next morning

• Preheat your oven to 500 F, place a cast iron pan with the lid inside for 45 minutes -1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the fridge. 
• Flip it over on a parchment paper, score it with a sharp knife or a scoring lame. 
• Transfer on to the hot cast iron pan, cover with the lid (to create steam for a beautiful and crusty crumb).
• Bake at 500F for 15 minutes with lid on.
• Remove the lid, lower temperature to 450F. 
• Bake for 20 more minutes until golden brown.

Potato Black Pepper Sourdough Bread

1712kcal

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Prep 40 minutes mins

Cook 35 minutes mins

Total 1 day d 6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

An incredibly soft and moist artisanal sourdough loaf, where the addition of mashed potatoes yields an exceptionally plush interior crumb and extended shelf life, while cracked black pepper introduces a subtle, savory kick. This high-hydration recipe utilizes a professional bassinage step and an elegant lamination phase to seamlessly integrate its bold flavors.

Servings 1 loaf

Cuisine American

Ingredients

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Sourdough Starter Build (Morning Before)

• ▢ 5 g Sourdough starter culture
• ▢ 35 g Water
• ▢ 30 g Bread flour
• ▢ 5 g Rye flour

The Main Dough (Late Afternoon)

• ▢ 270 g Bread flour (90%)
• ▢ 30 g Stone-ground whole wheat flour (10%)
• ▢ 210 g Water
• ▢ 9 g Extra cold water (Reserved strictly for the bassinage step)
• ▢ 60 g Prepared sourdough starter (20%)
• ▢ 120 g Mashed potatoes (40% – Boiled until soft without salt, then cooled and mashed smoothly)
• ▢ 9 g Salt (3%)
• ▢ 3 g Black pepper (1% – Coarsely cracked)

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand Mixer (Optional, can also be mixed and developed entirely by hand)
• ▢
  Cast Iron Dutch Oven (With a tight-fitting lid)
• ▢
  Proofing Basket (Banneton, or a loaf pan lined with a clean kitchen towel)
• ▢
  Sharp Bread Lame or razor blade
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Parchment Paper
• ▢
  Spray Bottle (For misting your work surface)

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Morning Starter Build & Afternoon Autolyse

1. 7:00 AM: In a small glass jar, whisk your 5g of starter culture into 35g of water. Add 30g of bread flour and 5g of rye flour, stirring thoroughly with a small spatula until no dry clumps remain. Cover loosely and let it ferment at a warm room temperature of 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8 to 10 hours until it at least triples in volume and reaches its peak.
2. 5:00 PM: In your stand mixer bowl (or a large mixing bowl), combine the 210g of water, 270g of bread flour, 30g of stone-ground whole wheat flour, and 120g of cooled mashed potatoes. Mix cleanly just until the flour is hydrated and forms a shaggy dough mass. Cover and let it rest undisturbed for 1 hour for the autolyse phase.

Bassinage Mixing & Pepper Lamination

1. 6:00 PM: Add 60g of your mature sourdough starter directly to the autolyzed dough. Mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes (or speed 3 on a KitchenAid for 3 to 4 minutes) until completely integrated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. 6:30 PM: Add the 9g of salt along with the 9g of reserved extra cold water. Mix on a low speed for 2 to 3 minutes (or speed 3 on a KitchenAid for 5 to 6 minutes). This bassinage step helps tighten up the gluten network. The dough should gather together cleanly but remain slightly sticky on the bottom of the bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes at 74–78°F (23–26°C).
3. 7:00 PM: Mist your clean work surface generously with water and wet your hands thoroughly. Transfer the dough out onto the damp counter and gently pull it from the edges, stretching it out as thin as possible into a wide sheet without ripping it.
4. Sprinkle the 3g of coarsely cracked black pepper evenly across the entire surface of the stretched dough. Fold the dough back over onto itself into a neat packet and return it to a covered container to rest for 45 minutes.

Structural Folds, Shaping, and Cold Fermentation

1. Build additional structural tension by performing three separate rounds of stretch-and-folds spaced out over the evening:
2. 7:45 PM: 1st Stretch-and-fold.
3. 8:30 PM: 2nd Stretch-and-fold.
4. 9:15 PM: 3rd Stretch-and-fold.
5. After your final fold, let the dough proof undisturbed for 30 minutes at 76–80°F (24–27°C) until you see small bubbles rising to the surface and the dough mass achieves a light, airy 50% increase in volume.
6. 9:45 PM: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough tightly over onto itself so the floured side stays entirely on the outside (this forms your crunchy crust). Shape into a neat round and let it sit uncovered on your counter for 30 minutes for a bench rest.
7. 10:15 PM: Dust the top with flour and flip it over. Pull the bottom corners up and inward, then roll the dough downward tightly into a smooth, taut ball or oval log shape.
8. Transfer the shaped loaf seam-side up into a prepared proofing basket. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it sit in an 80°F (27°C) space for 15 minutes before transferring it into the refrigerator for a slow 14 to 24-hour cold fermentation overnight.

High-Heat Dutch Oven Baking

1. Next Morning: Place your cast iron Dutch oven with its lid on inside your oven and preheat completely to 500°F (260°C) for 45 minutes to a full hour.
2. Remove the cold dough directly from the refrigerator. Flip it out gently onto a sheet of parchment paper and use a sharp bread lame or razor blade to score a clean line across the top.
3. Use the parchment corners to lift and drop the cold loaf safely into your piping hot Dutch oven. Secure the lid tightly to capture the expanding steam and bake at 500°F (260°C) for exactly 15 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the lid, lower your oven temperature down to 450°F (230°C), and continue baking uncovered for an additional 20 minutes until the exterior crust is deep golden brown. Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Nutrition

Calories1712kcalCarbohydrates353gProtein58gFat7gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat3gMonounsaturated Fat1gCholesterol14mgSodium1941mgPotassium1877mgFiber19gSugar5gVitamin A35IUVitamin C98mgCalcium112mgIron6mg

Notes

• Managing the Wet Texture of Potato Dough: Adding real mashed potato introduces significant moisture and starches into the flour matrix, which can make the dough feel much looser and stickier than a standard 73% hydration white loaf. Do not panic or add raw flour to dry it out early in the process. Keep your hands wet with clean water during the folding stages to prevent sticking, and rely on the lamination and stretch-and-folds to build a strong, high-standing gluten network.
• Potato Selection and Preparation Rules: For the absolute best internal texture, utilize a high-starch potato variety such as a classic Russet or Idaho potato. Peel and boil the potato completely until it is tender enough to be easily pierced through the center with a knife. Always mash the potato completely smooth while hot to ensure zero solid lumps remain, but allow it to cool down fully to room temperature before mixing it into the flour so you do not accidentally kill your sourdough culture. Do not add salt to the boiling water.
• Alternative Spice Infusions: The lamination method used here acts as a perfect vehicle for distributing add-ins evenly without tearing up the delicate dough strands during heavy mixing. If you want to customize your loaf, you can easily swap or complement the black pepper with options like freshly chopped rosemary, roasted garlic cloves, cracked pink peppercorns, or grated Parmesan cheese distributed across the stretched sheet.
• Troubleshooting Runny or “Soupy” Dough Adjustments: If your kitchen climate runs exceptionally humid or your flour brand features a lower protein content, potato starches can occasionally cause the dough to spread flat during the final counter-shaping phase. If you encounter this, simply drop your initial autolyse water volume down to 195g (bringing your base hydration to roughly 65%). This slight reduction provides a firmer, more stable dough structure that is much easier for beginners to shape cleanly.

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