Irish Boxty

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What's boxty you ask? Traditional Irish potato cakes. It's said the recipe dates back to the days of the Irish famine, presumably to make potatoes stretch further. After searching online for boxty recipes, the two main ingredients are always leftover mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes and the patties are usually fried in butter. With even more butter slathered on top of the hot patty! (I skipped that part!)

While boxty used to be considered a peasant dish, it is now common to see it on menus everywhere in Ireland.

I'm joining Kathleen  at Cuisine Kathleen, for her 6th Annual St. Patrick's Day event. Please stop by and see what everyone's doing!

There is a little ditty that accompanies the recipe....

Boxty on the griddle,
Boxty in the pan,
If you can't make boxty,
You'll never get your man.

Irish Boxty

Ingredients:

1 cup raw, grated potatoes

1 cup leftover mashed potatoes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

dash pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup (about) milk to mix

Butter for frying

Applesauce for serving

Method:

Place the grated raw potatoes in a clean cloth and twist to remove excess moisture. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Combine flour mixture into raw potatoes, mashed potatoes, and eggs. Add milk until you have a thick batter. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and add butter or oil. Drop potato batter by the tablespoon into the hot pan.

Brown on both sides (about 4 minutes per side).

Butter each boxty and serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

Yield: about 4 servings