I recently discovered a Cheese Potato Bread recipe on YouTube. Though it was a nice recipe, I thought I could improve on the flavour. I have made this recipe many times and have had several versions. Here, I have compiled the four best and I will explain how I improved the flavour of the basic filling and also how I came up with the other three fillings.
What changes did I make to the Cheese Potato Bread recipe?
The Potato
In the original recipe, mayonnaise is added to the mashed potato to keep it moist. However, in my version, I have replaced the mayonnaise with milk and butter to create a creamier mash with a richer flavour. This is a more classic British mashed potato. You could also change the type of potato you use to improve the mash, I personally like the ‘Yukon Gold’ variety, but you can use any floury potatoes. Generally baking potatoes work best.
The Cheese
For the original recipe, they chose Mozzarella cheese, and for the most part, I stuck with that. But I used two different types of Mozzarella here. The first is a fresh block of Mozzarella that I cut into thin strips. The second is pre-grated Mozzarella from the supermarket. They both have their own flavours and melt differently.
I also experimented with several different cheese’s including: Cheddar, Red Leicester, Gouda, etc. I found that the best cheese’s to use where Fresh Block Mozzarella, mixed with Provolone and Gruyère, when these melt they give a fantastic ooze and a nice stringiness. Also the 3 cheese flavours really balance each other out.
What are the fillings?
After many experiments and getting family and friends to do numerous taste tests for me here are the fillings I went for, plus an extra one not mentioned below in the recipe:
3 Cheese Plain Filling
I wanted to do one Cheese Potato Bread that was just an improvement on the original. Other than replacing the mayonnaise in the mashed potato with milk and butter. I have replaced the Mozzarella, with a mixture of fresh block Mozzarella (50g), Provolone (25g) & Gruyère (25g).
I really recommend eating this bread with honey, as it adds a little sweetness and makes it even more delicious.
3 Cheese Champ Filling
For this one, I really wanted to lift the flavour of the potato and keep the 3 Cheese mixture mentioned above. I opted for the Irish classic, Champ. The simple addition of plenty of finely chopped green onions (spring onions) into the mashed potato really gives it a boost! Like a supercharged version! You can also eat this version with honey too, if you want a little sweetness.
Bacon, Onion & Mushroom Filling
I took the inspiration for this filling from a recipe I made quite sometime ago: So-called Roast Pork. In this recipe I mixed mashed potatoes with diced onion and mushrooms then wrapped it in bacon. For the bread filling I mix the mashed potatoes with diced bacon, onion and mushrooms. You want to use Chestnut Mushrooms or King Oyster Mushrooms for this. With the cheese I simply used pre-grated Mozzarella from the supermarket, as it keeps a nice balance with the flavour. I would not recommend eating this with honey.
Curried Apple Filling
This was the firm favourite from all the taste testers, young and old. The sourness and sweetness from the apple goes so well with the earthy, spiciness of the curry powder. Plus cheese and apple are a superb pairing, mixing all this together creates a wonder and very addictive flavour combination. I went for the pre-grated Mozzarella from the supermarket again on this bread, as I didn’t want the cheese over powering the curry.
EXTRA – Horseradish Filling
For the Horseradish filling simply add 2 teaspoons of Horseradish sauce (one made with single cream) to your mashed potato portion (100g) and use the pre-grated Mozzarella from the supermarket. Honestly, this is super delicious! However, I wasn’t sure everyone would enjoy the heat from the horseradish, so I didn’t include it in my recipe or video.
Let me know your favourite filling in the comments below.
Cheese Potato Bread 4 Ways
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 20cm Frying – Pan
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
Dough
- 240 g Strong Bread Flour
- 145 ml Milk
- 25 g Butter (room temperature)
- 2 g Salt (or ½ a teaspoon)
- 20 g Melted Unsalted Butter (for frying)
Cheese
- 200 g Supermarket Mozzarella – Grated (for bacon & curry filling)
- 100 g Fresh Block Mozzarella – Finely chopped (3 cheese fillings)
- 50 g Provolone Cheese – Grated (3 cheese fillings)
- 50 g Gruyère Cheese – Grated (3 cheese fillings)
Mashed Potato
- 2 Baking Potatoes (approx 360g)
- 40 ml Whole Milk
- 40 g Unsalted Butter
- 1 pinch Salt
Champ Filling
- 2 Green Onions (spring onions)
Bacon, Onion & Mushroom Filling
- 1 rasher Bacon – Diced
- 20 g Onion – Diced (⅛ medium onion)
- 20 g Chestnut Mushroom – Diced (1 mushroom)
- 1 tsp Cooking Oil (for frying)
Curried Apple Filling
- 1 tsp Curry Powder
- 40 g Apple – Diced (½ small apple)
- 20 g Onion – Diced (⅛ medium onion)
- 10 g Unsalted Butter (for frying)
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
Dough
- Ready a mixing bowl, add the strong flour and salt, mix it well. Next add the unsalted butter and milk mix it well then knead it for 3 – 5 minutes.
- Next roll the dough into a ball, put it on the work surface and divide into 4 equal pieces. Then roll each piece into a ball and put them into a tub or bowl then cover with wrap or lid and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
3 Cheese Plain Filling
- Mix together 50g Finely Chopped Mozzarella, 25g Grated Provolone & 25g Grated Gruyère Cheese. This will cover the mashed potato.
3 Cheese Champ Filling
- Mix together 50g Finely Chopped Mozzarella, 25g Grated Provolone & 25g Grated Gruyère Cheese. This will cover the mashed potato.
- Finely chop the green onions and put aside for later.
Bacon, Onion & Mushroom Filling
- Over a low medium heat add a little oil to a frying pan. Add the bacon and fry it until it there are no raw bits and push it to the side of the pan. Next add the onion and fry it until it become soft and push it another side. Then add the mushroom fry it until the water comes out then mix all ingredient's together and mix well. Set to one side ready for later use.
Curried Apple Filling
- Add the unsalted butter into the frying pan over a medium low heat, once the unsalted butter has melted add the onion & the apple and cook them until soft. Next add the salt and curry powder mix all of them well, and put to one side for later use.
Base Filling
- Roughly chop the potato and boil them until they become very soft. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan, this will allow them to dry out a little. Next mash the potatoes and add the salt, milk and unsalted butter then mix it well.
- Divide the mashed potato into 4 equal portions. Then leave one plain, in the second add the chopped green onion. In the third add the bacon, onion & mushroom mixture, lastly in the forth add the curried apple mixture.
- Mix them well.
- Take the dough out from the fridge and use the rolling pin roll the dough into a circle approx 16cm in diameter.(If your dough is a little sticky, then sprinkle a little flour on the work surface first)
- For the 3 Cheese Plain & Champ Breads, place approx 50g of the mixed cheese on to the dough and spread around, leaving space around the edge.For the Bacon & Curried Apple Breads, place 50g of the Supermarket Grated Mozzarella on to the dough and spread around, leaving space around the edge.
- Add one portion of potato filling on top of the cheese, then flatten out the potato filling using a spatula.
- For the 3 Cheese Plain & Champ Breads, place the remaining mixed cheese on top of the potato and spread around, to cover the potato.For the Bacon & Curried Apple Breads, place the remaining Supermarket Grated Mozzarella on on top of the potato and spread around, to cover the potato.
- Gently pull either side of the dough and stretch it over the filling to meet in the middle. Turn the dough and repeat until all the filling is covered.
- Then pinch the dough together to seal the bread, gently push down to flatten out the seams.Then place the dough seal side down and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a circle approx 16cm in diameter. (be careful not to tear the dough)
- Place a frying pan over a low heat and using a silicon brush, brush melted butter over the surface of the pan. Put the bread in the pan and brush melted butter over the top of the dough. Once the bottom side has turned a nice golden brown colour, carefully flip it over and allow the top to cook and crisp up. Cooking time should be around 4 – 5 minutes per side.
- Enjoy your Cheese Potato Bread. I recommend drizzling a little honey over the 3 Cheese Breads, this really boosts the flavour.
