Cheesy Potato Bread

As its name might give away, this is a hefty dish of cheese and mashed potatoes, stuffed within a flatbread-like bread. Cheese and potato in bread alone sounds like a promising prospect already, but there are intentional additions and steps to further elevate the flavor of the dish. The mash, for instance, is seasoned with mayonnaise to give it a softer, more pliable pull. The cheese—often mozzarella—is sprinkled in two layers, sandwiching the mash to give you an aligot-like ooziness. And the bread is unleavened and fried in a pan on both sides until alluringly browned, giving it calculated crisp to contrast the pillowy cheese and potatoes within.

I first discovered this dish in the ASMR-y annals of Korean YouTube cooking videos, done by Nino’s Home and table diary, among a handful of other popular channels, each with their own spin on the dish. Cooking tree garnishes the top of the bread with rivers of cheese that gets oozy as it bakes. Delicious day adds yeast to the bread for a puffier version. Some add scallions in the bread, or top it with a flurry of chopped parsley. In my case, I sneaked some caramelized onions in between the cheese and mash, adding a layer of savory-sweet depth to the dish.

Whatever the variation though, the core of this cheesy potato bread is always the same—cheese, potatoes, and bread, in all their glory.

• 1 1/2 cup (180 grams) bread flour, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) kosher salt, divided
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola
• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved crosswise, and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 large (10 ounces/(300 grams) Russet or Yukon Gold potato
• 2 tablespoon mayonnaise, preferably Japanese-style like Kewpie
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup (100 grams) low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded