Featherlight Yeast Rolls

I made these rolls for dinner one night when Angel, Ryan, and the kids were coming over.  Roxanne must have eaten half a dozen by herself!  They’re from a traditional southern recipe using mashed potato as an ingredient—they’re light and fluffy and really delicious.  Be warned:  This recipe takes a whole day (8-12 hours of rising time) but they are so worth it! 

Rolls are best when they’re eaten the day they’re made, but they can be frozen up to a month then reheated in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen.

INGREDIENTS 1 russet (baking) potato (½  lb), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces ½ stick unsalted butter, divided ½ cup whole milk 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 (¼-oz) package active dry yeast 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. MASHED POTATO:  Generously cover potato with cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain potato well.  Meanwhile, melt 2 ½  tablespoons butter.  Mash hot potato in a large bowl with a fork. Stir in milk, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter (mixture will be lumpy).

2. Cool ½ cup cooking liquid to warm (105 to 115°F ). Stir in yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast and remaining cooking liquid.)

3. Stir yeast mixture into potato mixture, then stir in flour with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.

4. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead, dusting surface and hands with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (dough will be slightly sticky).

5. Brush a large bowl with some of remaining melted butter, then turn dough in bowl to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise, chilled, 8 to 12 hours.

6. Punch down dough (do not knead), then halve. Roll each half into a 12-inch-long log on a very lightly floured surface with lightly floured hands. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Arrange evenly spaced in 6 rows of 4 (less than ½ inch apart) in a buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan. Cover pan with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth).

7. Let rolls rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled (they will fill pan), 1 to 1 ½ hours.

8. Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

9. Melt remaining 1 ½ tablespoons butter.

10. Brush top of rolls with melted butter and bake until golden-brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Loosen edges with a sharp knife, then transfer rolls to a rack and cool slightly.