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This Elephant’s Foot Potato Bread stopped me in my tracks when I saw it in one of my German cooking magazines. I immediately fell in love with the idea of an elephant’s foot-shaped bread. So cute, right? However, becasue I am a compulsive recipe tweaker, I changed it up a bit. My version amps up the flavor with whole wheat flour and deliciously fragrant roasted garlic.
In home baking, “Elephant’s Foot Bread” can refer to a specific, rustic loaf made with mashed potatoes, yeast, and flour. It gets its name from its large, wide, and flat appearance that resembles a thick, heavy foot. However, adding cuts to one end to resemble toes just takes it over the top.
I will not lie, this Elephant’s Foot Potato Bread takes quite a bit of time to make, including several rise times. The bread itself takes 40 minutes in the oven. Additionally, there is the time needed to boil potatoes and to roast the garlic in the oven. Consequently, it takes some planning from baking to serving. However, the flavor result is worth the effort.
Roasting garlic is a culinary miracle.
Full stop. Roasting garlic bulbs completely transforms its flavor, taking away the sharp, pungent bite of raw garlic and turning it into something sweet, mellow, and rich. The heat causes the natural sugars to caramelize, giving the cloves a deeply savory, nutty, and subtly sweet taste. It adds a lot to this Elephant’s Foot Potato Bread recipe.
It’s so easy to do, and wow, what flavor. Slice off the top of a garlic bulb so that the cloves are showing. Place it on a sheet of aluminum foil. Then, drizzle olive oil over the cloves. Wrap it up in the foil. Roast for about 40 minutes. Remove the bulb from the oven and let it cool completely. Squeeze the softened cloves out of the bulb. Add them to spreads, mashed potatoes, dressings, or dips. Frankly, the possibilities are endless.
In conclusion: You can shape this Elephant’s Foot Potato Bread any way you like. I couldn’t resist the elephant’s foot version. I think it adds a bit of fun to any dining table.
Roasted Garlic Elephant's Foot Potato Bread
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Rise Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized head of garlic
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb white or yellow potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch of white granulated sugar
- 2+3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 packages of active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche or substitute sour cream
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400F.
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Cut the top off the garlic head. Place on a small sheet of aluminum foil.
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Drizzle the olive oil over the garlic.
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Wrap the garlic in the foil, place it on a small parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 45 minutes.
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Cut the potatoes into large pieces.
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Boil in salted water with a pinch of sugar.
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When you can run a fork through them, drain and rinse with cold water.
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When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins with your fingers.
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Grate the potato pieces into a bowl. Use a masher or a fork to mush together.
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Place the flour into a large bowl. Make an impression in the middle.
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In a small, separate bowl, mix the yeast and sugar with 2 tablespoons of warm water.
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Pour the mixture into the impression in the flour.
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Cover the bowl with a dishcloth and stow it in a warm place for 15 minutes.
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Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their shells. Mash into a paste with a fork. Set aside.
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Mix the potatoes with the crème fraîche and 1/3 cup water.
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Knead this mixture together with the dry ingredients into a smooth dough.
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Return the dough to the bowl, re-cover it with the dishcloth. Stow in a warm place for 30 minutes.
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Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat it into a round shape.
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Use your fingers or a spatula to smear the soft roasted garlic on top of the dough.
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Fold the dough over and knead the roasted garlic evenly into the dough.
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Shape the dough into a large oval and place it on the baking sheet.
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On one of the smaller ends, use a sharp knife to make four half-inch deep cuts to resemble elephant toes.
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Brush the dough with water.
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Let it stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 350F.
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Bake for 40 minutes.
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Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
So, do you like this Elephant’s Foot Potato Bread with Roasted Garlic? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:
ROASTED SMOKED GARLIC LEMON HUMMUS
RED PEPPER SMOKED GARLIC WHOLE WHEAT SCONES
CHOCOLATE WINE GLAZED DOUGHNUTS
