250g| 9oz floury potatoessuch as Maris Piper, peeled and cubed
60g(½ stick) buttermelted
240ml(1 cup) waterfrom boiling the potatoes
425g(15oz) strong bread flourplus more for dusting
2½tspfast action yeast
2tbspsugar
2tspsalt
2tbspvery finely chopped fresh rosemary
1tbspfinely chopped chives
3tbspfinely chopped chives
3tbspsesame seeds
3tbspnigella seeds
Coarse salt
2tbspbuttermelted
Instructions
Boil the potatoes in plenty of cold water until fork tender. Drain and reserve 240ml (one cup) of cooking liquid.
Mash the potatoes with the clarified butter until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Put the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and herbs in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix together with the dough hook.
Add the cooled mashed potato and half of the cooled water and mix on slow speed until the ingredients start coming together.
Keep adding the water until dough forms a ball and starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl. If the dough is too sticky add another tablespoon of flour.
Knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test (take a small piece of dough and stretch it gently between your fingers. If the dough stretches until it is almost see-through without breaking it is ready to prove).
Grease the bowl with melted butter, cover and let it rise for about 1 hour (or longer) until doubled in size.
Once dough has proved, preheat the oven to 190C (375F). Spray your pie tin with Cooking Mist or grease with softened butter.
Cut a large piece of baking paper and scrunch it up. Open it up and line the tin with it. Spray liberally with the Cooking Mist then place a ramekin in the centre and spray the ramekin all around the sides and top.
Put the chopped chives, sesame seeds and melted clarified butter in 3 separate bowls.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back. Let it rest for 5 minutes then form into a long sausage shape.
Cut a walnut-sized piece of dough, and roll into a smooth ball. Dip into the herbs or sesame seeds etc. and place in the prepared tin.
Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving some pieces plain. Brush those with the clarified butter. Sprinkle a little coarse salt over the bread. Leave to stand for 10-15 minutes.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until bread is golden and risen. Cool slightly then lift out of the tin using the baking paper. Gently pop the ramekin out and serve.
Notes
The kneading can all be done by hand instead of in a mixer. You can vary the herbs to suit your taste and add a little minced garlic or garlic powder to the dough if you like.