Spicy Potato and Pea Bolsos (Filled Pocket Breads)

When my first few (actually, many) attempts at making and baking bread were pathetic at the best, it was a good friend of mine who came to the rescue. She is an excellent cook and in fact, it was eating her spicy potato filled rolls that encouraged me bake my own bread. I got her to come home one afternoon and give me a hands-on demonstration on how to make those rolls. They were so good, I can still remember the happiness at seeing my first successful batch of bread rolls!

So when this month's Bread Baking Day theme was announced as "Bread And Potatoes", I knew it was time to post those rolls of hers. I do make these rolls on and off, and each time the potato filling tends to change a bit, depending on what vegetables I have at home and what spices I choose to add. So there are no hard and fast rules here with this recipe. But this filling is a typical Indian "potato masala" filling which is spicy and good for filling samosas or bondas.

A couple of days back, I was going through my copy of the Tassajara Bread Book when I came across a recipe for Ricotta Olive Bolsos. "Bolso (masculine form)" (or bolsa-feminine form) means pocket/ bag in Spanish and Portuguese. So Bolsos are small "pocket" breads which are baked with filling in them, a sort of ready-made sandwich. So I decided to call my filled bread a spicy potato and pea bolso. This sounds much fancier than a filled roll, doesn't it?

Whatever, the name these rolls (or bolsos) are very tasty and filling. They are good for a meal with a salad or a soup, as a filling snack and very convenient to pack and carry in a lunch box.
I have adapted the dough for the bolsos from the above mentioned recipe, but used my own version of a potato and pea filling here. My dinner roll dough can also be used to make these rolls.


Ingredients:


For the dough:

1 3/4 tsp dry active yeast

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup skimmed milk powder

1/2 tbsp honey

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

3/4 cup oat flour*

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup all purpose flour



For the filling:

2 cups roughly mashed potatoes**

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp oil

1 1/2 tsp minced ginger (or paste)

1/2 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

salt to taste

1 or 2 green chillies, chopped

1 to 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves



Method:


For the dough:

*I don't get oat flour here, so I powdered rolled oats in my grinder and used this.

Dissolve the honey and the yeast in the warm water and allow the yeast to prove. Put all the other ingredients for the dough in the food processor (or in a bowl, if kneading by hand) and run a couple of times to mix well.

Pour in the yeast-honey mixture and enough water to make a soft, smooth and elastic dough. Shape into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl, turning the ball of dough so it is coated with the oil. Cover and allow to rise till double in volume (about an hour).


For the filling:

** Do not mash the potatoes into a paste. Just mash well, till slightly lumpy. You can do this by breaking up each boiled potato by hand. About 5 to 6 medium sized potatoes should give you approximately 2 cups mashed potatoes.
You can make this filling while the dough is rising, or make it the previous day and refrigerate it.

In a pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the ginger and the garlic paste and sauté for half a minute. Then add the onions and chopped chillies, and sauté till they are translucent and beginning to turn golden.

Now add the turmeric, coriander, cumin and garam masala powders and sauté for a minute on low heat. Add a quarter cup of water, stir and add the frozen peas and the salt. Simmer for a couple of minutes till they're cooked. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well, cooking for about two minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the chopped coriander and mix well again.

Divide this filling into 6 equal portions. Each portion will measure about 2 to 3 tbsps.


To make the bolsos:

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, take one piece of dough and roll out into an approximately 4" by 4" square (or a circle). Place one portion of filling on one half of the dough square/ circle leaving about 1/4" of dough free at the edges. Moisten this edge with water and fold the unfilled half over the filling. Seal the edges by pinching together well so that it doesn't open up while baking.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, cover and allow to rise slightly for 20 minutes. Brush with milk (or egg wash) and place on a greased sheet. Bake at 200C for 20 to 25 minutes till done and golden brown in colour. Cool on a rack and serve.
This recipe makes 6 bolsos.

This is my submission for BBD #17 being hosted this month by Lien at Notitie van Lien. This also goes to Susan for YeastSpotting.

Also featured by the Chicago Sun-Times.

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