Traditional Irish Boxty Potato Pancake

Pancakes make for a great breakfast but if you want pure savoury then you need these traditional Irish potato boxty!

Irish Potato Pancakes.

This Boxty recipe has been with me as long as any other recipe that I cook. It predates all the fancy pants stuff that I do and even the curries.

I was introduced to them by an Irish guy in my student days as the worlds finest hangover cure.

A claim that we stress-tested vigorously and could find no evidence to the contrary!

Traditionally made from mashed potato and grated potato they have a fantastic texture.

Cooking them in buerre noisette or browned butter gives them a wonderfully nutty texture.

Hints and Tips

You need to start this recipe with the right potatoes.

Both the mashed potato and the grated potato in this recipe need floury potatoes. A variety like Maris Piper, King Edwards or Russet.

It is also vitally important that the mash is completely cooled to room temperature before you start. Although leftover mash from the day before is best!

A good boxty recipe needs a bit of flexibility, the moisture levels in the potato define how much milk you need to add.

When grating the potatoes, they will begin to leach liquid, you need to throw out the liquid but you need not squeeze out the liquid as you would with a potato rosti.

The amount of dairy in your mashed potatoes will also define how much milk to add.

When you add the milk you are looking for a texture that will drop from a spoon in a single “lump” but one that is still a little liquid.

Serving Suggestions.

I’m not usually one for faffing around at breakfast time any more.

So these are a rare indulgent treat and join welsh rarebit as being something that I treat us to on special occasions.

Boxty are often served as part of a full Irish breakfast, featuring bacon, sausages, mushrooms, eggs, tomatoes or beans and black or white pudding.

I prefer mine a little more simple and would rather have a perfectly poached egg and some sauteed mushrooms with them.

The pancakes are the perfect way to mop up the yolk which is the perfect sauce.

Another great addition would be a chutney like my red cabbage chutney!