There is something special about potatoes here in Sweden. Or was, perhaps you should say because the younger generation does not see the potato as irreplaceable in most meals. Not unless it has been deep fried, of course.
But for many older Swedes, a dinner without potatoes is almost unthinkable.

But if we go back to the 18th century, it was a little different. Olof Rudbeck had admittedly brought home and planted some potatoes as early as 1658, but then only as an ornamental plant.

It was not until 1724 that Jonas Alströmer began to grow potatoes as a food plant. However, ordinary people were still suspicious of the potato. It would take many more years before it had its breakthrough among Swedish peasants.

Eventually, however, people began to understand how valuable the potato was. It was hardy and gave relatively good harvests even on less fertile land. It was valuable quality during periods of famine that affected Sweden at regular intervals at that time.

When you started mixing potatoes in the dough when baking bread, the purpose was to save money on the much more expensive grain. Previously, ground bark had been used. I’ve never tried bark bread, but I’m pretty sure potato bread is a better option.
With potatoes as an ingredient, the bread gets a soft crumb full of moisture and flavor.

But first things first.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS FOR SOURDOUGH POTATO BREAD

FLOUR/INGREDIENT	PROTEIN CONT.%	WEIGHT GRAMS	BAKER’S%
Wheat flour (bread flour	13	320	91
Whole wheat flour	11	30	8

Sourdough starter, mature		60	17
Potato (boiled)		105	30
Water		270	77
Rye flakes		20	6
Salt		7	2

The sourdough starter has a hydration of 100%.

I use rye flakes in this recipe. Rye flakes look almost like rolled oats, which is perhaps not so strange because they are produced the same way.
They taste different, though, and since I’m a big fan of rye, I wanted to give them a try.

A sourdough potato bread includes potatoes, of course. But I’m sure you know how to boil potatoes, so I will not bore you with any description. Just let them cool for a couple of minutes before pressing and adding them to the rest of the ingredients. The sourdough starter is sensitive to high heat, and it is unnecessary to take any risks.

MIXING AND FIRST RISE

Apart from that, mixing the dough is a straightforward procedure.
I decided not to perform any autolyse for this dough. Mixing in pressed potato, rye flakes, and starter afterward into the dough felt a bit difficult, so I skipped that step.
If you want to run an autolyse you can find more information here.

I mixed all ingredients until all the flour was hydrated. After that, I gave the dough a 15 minutes rest.
If you let the dough rest before you start kneading, it will be less sticky and easier to handle.
There are many ways to knead the dough. I performed multiple stretches and folds in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
After that, it was time for the dough to rest for another 30 minutes.

I was planning to use a bread form this time, so dough strength was not that crucial. Therefore, I only made one more set of stretches and folds after the rest. After that, I left the dough to ferment for 3,5 hours.
The room temperature was about 72°F/22°C.

SHAPING AND SECOND RISE

I usually preshape the dough. It adds tension, but it also makes it easier to make the final shape.

The preshape procedure is quite simple. I dump the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured working surface, fold it together, and shape it into a round with a bench knife.
The dough is allowed to relax for 15 minutes before it’s time for the final shaping.

As I mentioned before, I used a bread form this time. But the shaping technique was the same as if I was shaping a batard.
This video shows it all.

After I had placed the dough in the bread form, I let it proof for 2 hours.
You may have to adjust the time. When the dough reaches the top edge of the bread form, it’s ready.

The room temperature was about 72°F/22°C.
The size of the bread form I used was 25x11x7 cm, about 10×4,5×3 inches.

BAKING

Preheat the oven in good time before it’s time to bake. I used to turn it on at least 30 minutes before its time.
Starting temperature is 480°F/250°C.

Place the form into the oven and bake it for 35-40 minutes.
You may have to reduce the temperature at the end to prevent the upper surface from getting burnt.

Let the bread cool for a while. Release the bread from the form carefully when you can handle it without burning your hands.
Let it cool for an additional hour.

FINAL THOUGHTS

What I like most about this sourdough potato bread is that it stays fresh for a long time. If I bake it on a Sunday, I can still enjoy it on Wednesday if I keep it in a plastic bag. At the end of the week, I have to use the toaster, but that’s ok with me.
It still tastes great.
The crumb is also very soft, probably thanks to the potatoes. If you add some fat, like butter or vegetable oil, I think this can be a possible foundation for hamburger buns.

Enjoy!