Potato-Caramelized Onion-Cheese-Barley Porridge Bread

   This past weekend my wife and I visited one of our favorite supermarkets, Fairway Market which has a great selection of cheeses, fresh sour pickles, grains, meats etc.  I picked up some pearled barley and this great tasting cheddar like cheese called Double Gloucester which they were doing a free sampling.  I had some left-over mashed potatoes and caramelized onions, so naturally these needed to be incorporated into a bread.  Who doesn't like potatoes, cheese and onions?

I wanted to incorporate some stiff egg whites to try and make the overall bread a little lighter with the onions and cheese but it didn't really seem to make that much of a difference.

Since I've been experimenting a lot with the porridge method per Tartine 3 I figured why not use the barley as a porridge.  It didn't quite get as creamy as the oats or the multi-grain mix I used last time but it still added a nice texture to the final bread.

The final dough did not expand quite as much as I would have liked in the oven but the results were tasty none the less.  The onions really come through with the cheese and this made some great grilled bread with my steak dinner last night.

Please note: The formula below includes the water content from the potatoes and egg whites. The actual water added to the main dough when mixing should be 85 grams.

Enjoy.

Here are the Zip files for the above BreadStorm files.

Levain Directions Build 1 (Using AP Starter at 66% Hydration for Seed)

Mix all the levain ingredients together  for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I used my Proofer set at 81 degrees and it took about 4 hours.

Oat Porridge Directions

Add about 3/4's of the water called for in the porridge to the dry ingredients in a small pot set to low and stir constantly until all the water is absorbed.  Add the remainder of the water and keep stirring until you have a nice creamy and soft porridge.  Remove from the heat and let it come to room temperature before adding to the dough.  I put mine in the refrigerator and let it cool quicker.

 For Egg Whites:
Separate eggs and beat until peaks are formed.

 Main Dough Procedure

DAY 1
Mix flours and water for 1 minute.  Let sit for 20 - 60 minutes.

Fold in egg whites then add levain, cooled porridge, potatoes and salt and mix on low for 4 minutes.  Add onions and mix for 1 minute until incorporated and then add the cheese and mix for 1 additional minute.

In lightly oiled bowl or work surface S&F several times. Let rest for 10-15 minutes and S&F again. Repeat 1 x.  After a total of 2 hours refrigerate dough for 12 - 24 hours. (Note: this is a pretty wet dough so you may need to do a couple of additional stretch and folds).

DAY 2
Remove dough from refrigerator 1.5 to 2 hours before using.

Shape as desired. Proof for 1.5 - 2 hours (depending on room temperature) and will only rise about 1/3 it’s size at most.

Preheat oven to 550º F, including steam pan.

Score bread, and place in oven. After 5 minutes reduce temperature to 450ºF.  Bake for 35-50 minutes, until nicely browned (205ºF).

Cool on rack at least for 2 hours before eating.