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Potato Soft Pretzel Bites

This addictive and delicious appetizer is always a hit! The dough is yeast dough but with mashed potatoes added in. It sounds weird, but the potatoes keep the dough soft and light. After cutting the dough into bite size pieces, the pieces are quickly cooked in a mixture of boiling water and baking soda. A beaten egg is brushed on top of the pieces once they are removed from the water. Coarse salt is sprinkled on top before baking.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 1 cup mashed Idaho potatoes unseasoned
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 cups AP flour
  • ¼ cup cornmeal
  • 1 egg
  • Coarse salt

Water bath Ingredients:

  • 6 cups water
  • 2 tbsp baking soda

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix water and yeast until yeast is dissolved. Add mashed potatoes, sugar and salt. Add flour 1 cup at a time until dough is tacky but no longer sticky.
  3. Roll out onto a floured surface, divide dough into 5-6 pieces and roll into ropes about 1-inch thick. Cut the ropes into 1-inch segments.
  4. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and sprinkle a light layer of cornmeal on top.
  5. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and stir in 2 tbsp of baking soda. Drop several dough pieces into the water bath and allow them to cook until they float to the top (about 3 minutes). Remove with slotted spoon and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
  6. In a small bowl, beat egg and brush onto dough pieces. Sprinkle with coarse salt and place sheet into the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe Notes

I don’t have unseasoned mashed potatoes hanging around the house, and who would? If I am making mashed potatoes and there are going to be leftovers, the potatoes would already be seasoned. So instead I buy one of those bags of instant Idaho potatoes that you add water to. Buy the cheddar cheese one, one bag will make enough mashed potatoes for two recipes or you can just eat the leftovers.