Mashed Potato Kolachkes Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 1-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup apricot cake and pastry filling
• 1/3 cup raspberry cake and pastry filling
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons 2% milk

Directions

• Place potato in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Mash potato; set aside 1/2 cup (discard or save remaining potato for another use).
• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, milk, shortening, 4 tablespoons butter, egg, salt, reserved cooking liquid and mashed potato. Beat in 2 cups flour until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Turn onto a well-floured surface. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Cover and let rise for 15 minutes or until almost doubled. Melt the remaining butter.
• Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball; brush with butter and fill with a rounded teaspoon of filling.
• Bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to wire racks. Combine confectioners' sugar and milk; drizzle over rolls. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Mashed Potato Kolachkes published in Country Woman September/October 2005, p39