Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedo Bread Loaves

This potato, cheddar, and chive torpedo bread is a "mixed method" loaf, in that it includes both a sourdough starter and instant yeast. You can enjoy the sourdough flavor without the uncertainty! 

Between the cooked potatoes and the cheddar cheese, this bread is super soft and totally cheesy. Add some fresh chives and you have a bread that is completely flavorful on its own. 

Each loaf includes 1/4 pound of boiled potatoes, and the water in the dough is taken from the water in which the potatoes were simmered. This makes it a very soft bread that stays fresh for several days. These loaves are ridiculously good. I wanted to hide them and keep them to myself. They disappeared way too fast. 

This is the second to last bread in the amazing book The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart. The book is a master class in bread baking and essential for anyone who is interested in developing their skills. 

It took me one year (2012) to bake the 43 recipes in the book (in order). If I hadn't committed to myself to baking all of the breads in a row, I would have probably baked this bread right away. 

The recipes in the book appear in alphabetical order, with the exception of the last two. At the end of the book, Peter included two recipes from Bennett Valley Bread and Pastry's Tim Decker. Prior to starting his own bakery, Tim was Peter's head baker at Brother Juniper's Bakery in Santa Rosa, which I believe was Peter's first bakery. Tim's story in the book is a great read. 

Ingredients in this Potato, Cheese, and Chive Bread:

Potatoes: I used Baby Dutch potatoes, which are tiny Yukon gold potatoes. You can use any non-sweet potatoes you have on hand, including Russet, red, white, or standard sized Yukon Golds. There is no need to peel the potatoes either. Just chop the potatoes and boil them in three cups of water until they are tender. 

There is no need to mash the potatoes as they will break down during the kneading process. 

Water: Use the water in which you boiled the potatoes. It makes a huge difference in the texture of the bread. 

Sourdough Starter: To make this bread, you will need a 100% ratio (water to flour) sourdough starter that has been fed and is active. There are plenty of recipes out there to make your own sourdough starter, some way more complicated than others. To get started on my sourdough hobby, I actually bought a dehydrated starter from King Arthur Baking that I revived (they now sell live starter instead). King Arthur also has a simple recipe for creating your own starter. 

If you don't have a starter, you can instead create an overnight preferment by mixing equal parts flour and water by weight along with a pinch of instant yeast. Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit for about 12 to 15 hours before measuring out the amount you will need. 

Unbleached Bread Flour. 

Salt. 

Instant Yeast. 

Chopped fresh chives. 

Cheddar Cheese: The original recipe calls for sliced cheese, which I used the first time I made this bread. This time, I used coarsely grated cheddar cheese, and it didn't seem to make a difference either way. You can use sharp or mild cheddar. I'd like to try this bread with a smoked cheddar too. 

Semolina or Corn Meal: For dusting the baking surface. Optional. 

I originally baked this bread thirteen years ago, so it was time for an update. One of my notes I made in the book was to remind myself to cut deeper slashes so that more of the cheese would ooze out of the bread (see the "after" photo above). 

My slashes in the first loaves were pretty shallow and so very little cheese oozed out onto the crust (see photo below). It definitely made a difference! The crust in the updated loaves was much more cheesy. 

To Make This Potato and Cheese Bread:

First, boil the potatoes and let them cool to lukewarm. Separate the potatoes from the cooking water but do not discard the water. 

Next, mix the sourdough starter, half of the bread flour, the yeast, the potatoes, and 1/2 cup of the potato water in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. After a brief mix, let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. Then, add the rest of the flour and the salt. Mix, adjusting the flour and water until you have a dough that is very tacky but not sticky. 

After that, knead the dough for about six minutes (by hand or machine with the dough hook), adjusting the flour and water. Add the chives and continue to knead for another two minutes or so. 

Let the dough rise for about 90 minutes, until doubled. Divide the dough in half and spread each half out into a rectangle and spread the cheese out on the surface of the dough. Roll the dough up into torpedoes and let them rise, covered, until doubled, about an hour. 

Finally, bake the loaves for about 40 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Let them cool before slicing. 

Store this bread at room temperature in a plastic bag or airtight container for up to three days. You can also slice and freeze the loaves to enjoy the bread over several days. 

Serving Suggestions:

These potato and cheese loaves are delicious, buttered or not, on the first day. After a day or two, this bread is still delicious and soft enough for toast or sandwiches. It makes wonderful grilled sandwiches as well. It's also perfect for the bread course for dinner. Just add slices to your bread basket and watch them disappear. 

Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedo Bread Loaves

Yield: 32 slices (two 1 1/2 pound loaves)

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 40 MinInactive time: 2 H & 30 MTotal time: 3 H & 55 M

This potato, cheddar, and chive torpedo bread is a "mixed method" loaf, in that it includes both a sourdough starter and instant yeast. 

Ingredients

• 8 ounces unpeeled potatoes, coarsely chopped, boiled in 3 cups of water until fork tender and then cooled. Set aside the boiling water to use later.
• 4 to 8 ounces (1/2 to 1 cup) of the saved lukewarm potato water.
• 10 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 cups) of active sourdough starter, pulled from the refrigerator about 1 hour before mixing the dough.
• 18 ounces (4 cups) unbleached bread flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) thinly sliced fresh chives
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced or shredded.
• Semolina or corn meal for dusting

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl, stir together the starter, half of the flour, yeast, potatoes, and 1/2 cup of the potato water. Mix with the paddle attachment or a dough whisk. Let the mixture sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the flour along with the salt and mix until you have a tacky but not sticky dough. Adjust the water and flour as needed. I used an additional 1/2 cup of potato water.
3. Knead the dough for about six minutes (by machine or by hand), adjusting the flour and water as needed. Add the chives and knead for an additional two minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl or dough rising bucket and turn the dough so that all sides are coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.
4. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a 6 inch by 8 inch rectangle. Place the cheese slices or sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of each rectangle, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Starting with the 8 inch edge, roll up the cheese in the dough to form a log, sealing the seam. The shape should be like a torpedo, fatter in the middle and narrowing on the ends. Place the loaves, seam side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet that has been sprinkled with semolina or corn flour. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap.
5. Let rise for about an hour until almost doubled in size.
6. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F with a steam pan on the lowest rack and an empty rack in the middle for baking the bread.
7. When the bread is ready, score the dough with two long slashes, cutting through the first layer of cheese.
8. Place the sheet pan with the loaves on the middle rack and add one cup of boiling water to the steam pan. Close the oven door. After 1 minutes, generously spray the oven walls with water and close the oven door. Lower the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
9. Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, until the internal temperature is 200 degrees F.
10. Cool the bread on a wire rack for about 45 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

93

Fat (grams)

2 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

1 g

Carbs (grams)

16 g

Fiber (grams)

1 g

Net carbs

15 g

Sugar (grams)

0 g

Protein (grams)

4 g

Cholesterol (grams)

4 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2012/12/potato-cheddar-and-chive-torpedoes-bba.html

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Originally posted December, 2012, updated with new photos and information, September, 2025.