My first few attempts at baking bread were pathetic at the best. A good friend of mine came to my rescue and got me started on baking good bread. She is an excellent cook and it was her spicy potato filled rolls that got me dreaming of baking bread. She came home one morning and gave me a hands-on demonstration on making them. I shall never forget that first experience of making my won bread. Today I’m sharing my Spicy Potato Pea Bolsos or Pockets, which are a version of those rolls.
This month’s Bread Baking Day theme was announced as “Bread And Potatoes“, and the perfect occasion for these Spicy Potato Pea Bolsos or Pockets. I knew it was time to post those rolls of hers. I do make these rolls on and off, and the potato filling I use tends to change somewhat depending on what vegetables I have on hand. So there are no hard and fast rules for the filling you can use to make these filled bread rolls. Mine is a typical Indian “potato masala” filling that’s spicy and the kind you would use for samosas or bondas.
Potatoes form the bulk of this spicy masala filling. Other vegetables include peas, carrots, cauliflower and onion. The onions are chopped and sautéed first. The other vegetables are steam cooked till soft and mashed together really well but not to a puree. This mashed vegetable is added to the onions with salt and spices and cooked together to make the filling.
I was going through my copy of the Tassajara Bread Book a few days back. I came across a recipe for Ricotta Olive Bolsos. “Bolso (masculine form)” (or bolsa-feminine form) means pocket/ bag in Spanish and Portuguese. Bolsos also refer to small pocket breads with filling in them., a sort of baked sandwich. These Spicy Potato Pea Bolsos or Pockets are very good and filling. They make a nice meal with a salad or soup, or a filling snack and very convenient to pack in lunch boxes or for a picnic.
I have adapted the dough for these Bolsos from the Tassajara Bread Book whie the filling is my own. This dinner roll dough can also be used to make these rolls.
Note : This post was first published in February, 2009 and has since been updated with text and images.
Spicy Potato Pea Bolsos or Pockets
Ingredients
For the dough :
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup skimmed milk powder
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 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
- 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 tsps coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 1/2 tsps garam masala
- to taste salt
- 1 or 2 green chillies chopped
- 1 to 2 tbsps fresh coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
- 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 sautxe9 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.
- Let it cool. Then 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. Place with the pinched seam down and you should have an ovoid shaped roll.
- 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 (400F) for 20 to 25 minutes till done and golden brown in colour. Cool on a rack and serve.
Notes
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
Beautiful! I was thinking of something like this too. Great entry! 🙂
superb!!! Meal by itself..love the look of it.
Reminds me of potato bun we get back home!
hi, when i saw this as smitha said it remeinded me of potato buns which are baked in bangalore bakeries, I too bake them well as u said I am not a good baker, I was planning to post it in a few days time…..but urs look gorgeous, do they come really soft? on the upper crust… must try this, ASAP….I want to learn lot more in Baking…even though my family are Bakers…if u would have heard of Iyengar Bakeries in Bangalore, most of them are my relatives!!!, Give me some hints & suggestions about baking….fabulous photos & is making me hungry:) & tempting me do it…
These look a lot like Singaporean curry puffs that I am in love with! But I have the feeling that I might like your version better because it doesn’t involved deep-frying. I’m really excited to try these! 🙂
Hi Aparna, these breads look really wonderful. I love the idea of a meal in one roll. Wish I could smell the spices here ;-)Thanks for participating in BBD.
wow looks yummy and as smitha said..it reminds of the potato bread.
Looks wonderful! Yesterday I made pita & was wondering when there was some dough left if I should fill with potato & make something – an inbetween of potato pita & alu naan. These looks more full !
Wonderful rolls Aparna. You really amaze me with your (bread)baking skills.
These look awesome. I make a curry with ground meat and peas that I think I will try as a filling in here, but not before I tries these just they way they are, they look so yummy. Thanks for the recipe 😀
the bolsos have come out so chubby and brown. filled bread is next on my to-do list 🙂
Wonderful bread Aparna, I ve to try soon this kind of bread!
Beatiful… Lovely color.
I love such buns… waiting for the weather to get a little warmer here 🙂
The buns are looking very beautiful and delicious.
YUmmy delicous. Wish i had one of them here right now.
I instinctively felt it had to be Portuguese when I saw the name. I wonder how one can tell the difference between a bolso and a bolsa?! 🙂
Delicious buns, i too prepared bread with potatoes, urs makes me hungry Yaa!!!
Thanks. They’re worth making and not difficult, either.Jayasri,I have seen quite a few references to the Itengar bakery on blogs, though I don’t know of it.Yes, the bread is is quite soft. As for tips on baking, I’m not an expert, just learning as I go along. I’d be glad to help in anyway.But you have the experience of professional bakers behind you.:)Do bake them, though.Singapore puffs are new to me, Chris. Though deep fried probably means they’re tasty even if not good for us.:)That’s an idea, Soma.I’m amazed too, Madhuram.:)Heidi, these would work with any filling, the spicier the better!Sra, actually I think they’re Spanish.:)As for boy or girl, haven’t a clue! Though, in a non-food context, I think whether it is bolsa or bolso depends on what the word is describing (bag, purse, pocket or stock exchange).
Goshh… I’m drooling over your bread photos!!! Yummy yummy!
much healthier and tastier than a samosa.
Thats a lovely idea. They look gorgeous.
Looks yummy dear.. perfect and evenly baked crust. When I get a fresh batch of yeast will try this one. 😀
You make me want to bake right now. These sound delicious.
I’m so hungry now. 😀 These bolsos look devine!
These look beautiful, I loved that the bread has a combination of wheat flour and oat flour…perfect!
They look so good, Aparna! The colour on the bread is awesome and I agree with Bee!
Abs. delicious.
*Swoon*. That’s one generous an delicious filling Aparna.
Love the bread Aparna,I heartily wish I were there when you took this out of the oven-aroma of fresh baked bread along with spicy potato filling,the taste -even the thougt of being there is very comforting and filling.Sooooooooooooo beautiful
I am dying over that filling!
I know many before me have said this but it is really the only thing – same as the ones we get at Bangalore Iyengar bakery:), and how I love them!! Yours looks awesome. I agree bolsos are definitely better than rolls. I suppose it is because the shape looks like comfy bolsters:) Give me one!
You can call them rolls or bolsos, but I call them beautiful! They sound delicious with that spicy filling.Nancy
Your bolsos look so yummie! I never made filled rolls, great idea!
Aparna, these are just so tempting. I know if you set a plate in front of me, I’d be over stuffed when I left the table ;)Love that filling.It really helps to bake with somebody else to learn how bread should feel and how to shape it.
I can smell those spices through the computer. The filling is like samosas that I love so much! Nice bread!
Thanks, again.:)
I like the spices and use of oatmeal flour in this recipe. Looks great!! You did good!