Stromboli

My first attempt at a stromboli based on articles read online and adapted to a whole wheat dough was not much of a success. I've been wanting to make a good, presentable version since then. I decided to try the recipe from King Arthur Flour's 'Whole Grain Baking' book even though the dough is not 100% whole grain.

Ingredients
I was willing to follow the recipe, this being the first time. However it called for potato flakes or potato flour and I couldn't find either at the local natural foods store. I decided to used a boiled potato. I decided to make only one loaf, which meant halving the recipe. This time I took the effort to write down the quantities for half the recipe instead of trusting myself to remember to do the conversion on the fly.

Leave me a comment if you want the recipe.

I read online that a boiled potato is 75% water and 25% potato starch. So in order to have .675 oz of potato flour/flakes, I used 2.5 oz of boiled potato. The 1.75 oz of water from the potato was added towards the liquid requirement. I added 2.7 oz of water from boiling the potato to make the 4.5 oz of water needed. I believe using the potato water really helped make the dough soft. I think this replacement worked well for the potato flour/flakes. Just took a bit of math.

Ingredients. I used dry milk for the first time.
Orange juice is the other favorite ingredient in many KAF recipes

This recipe used whole wheat pastry flour and bread flour. Other ingredients for the dough were salt, honey, potato water, orange juice, dry milk, butter, yeast and boiled potato

Tiny amount of dough (half the recipe). Very soft.

Nicely risen after two hours

Rolled out into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle

The filling
The filling (half recipe) contained
1.5 T oil
1 clove garlic, minced,
1.5 oz sliced onion (not in original recipe)
5 oz mushroom
5 oz fresh spinach
¼ t salt
½ t pepper
2.5 oz crumbled feta cheese (I used 0.55 oz parmesan and 1.75 oz pepper jack)
1.25 oz pitted sliced kalamata olives (I skipped these)

I was glad I started preparing the filling right after the dough started its first rise because it does take time to put together, cook and then cool. I placed the cheese on the warm filling mix but didn't stir it in. Later I saw that it had melted into clumps, not a big problem, but next time I would mix the cheese in well instead of letting it melt itself. From past experiences making pizza, I knew I needed to strain the liquid in the mixture well before putting it on the dough. I am surprised the book doesn't specify that.

Filling spread on

Long edges folded in to prevent leakage

Rolled left to right

Proofing and baking
It was unusual that the roll was to be slashed before proofing. The slashes allow steam to escape. After 30 minutes of proofing, the stromboli is baked in a 375° F oven for 35 - 40 minutes.

Slashed before proofing

Proofed and ready for the oven

Some of the cheese bubbled and some tried to get away

Flattened out in the middle like the book said it might

6 slices per loaf

Held together well.

Stromboli
The crust was extremely soft and had good give (Oh yes, the dough had help from plenty of butter). The 'slices' were great warmed and even better dipped in home made pasta sauce. RH agreed they tasted good but found them heavy, too much bread and not enough vegetables per slice. I have to agree, but too much bread never bothers me.

Notes
Date: June 5, 2011
Recipe: King Arthur Flour's book 'Whole Grain Baking'

Flours: Whole wheat pastry flour, bread flour
Bread specific ingredients: See Ingredients and The filling section above
Sweetener used: Honey
Liquid: (Potato) Water

First rise time: 120 mins
Proofing time: 35 mins
Comments: Potato substitution worked well. Potato flour likely helped the dough. It would be interesting to keep the same potato usage and try to replace some of the bread flour with more whole wheat pastry flour. And maybe some of the butter with oil or reduce the amount of butter? Rolling out the dough to the given size and rolling the filling were quite straightforward. This was fairly simple to make and I hope to make it again, maybe even two loaves, for company.

-RPH