Irish Potato Pancakes -- Boxty

Photo courtesy of Shuttershock/Brent Hofacker

Potatoes, which is a heavily relied on ingredient, has been a staple in the Irish community since before the 1600’s.

Boxty has been around since the 1700’s and to this day, remains an Irish classic that is served nearly all around the country and even in Irish restaurants around America.

The modernized version can be filled with a variety of ingredients like meat, cheese and vegetables, but the classic version is simply potato and flour.

With a touch of buttermilk, salt and baking soda, this mixture is turned into a batter and then pan fried like a pancake. It can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner and used as a classic pancake replacement or as a side along with meat and other vegetables.

Served with sour cream and scallions, boxty can make a nice savory snack as well.

If you’d like to make this recipe for yourself, follow the steps below!

Recipe

Peel and rinse all of your potatoes. Set aside.
Set a pot of water over medium-high heat and allow to come to a boil.
Chop half of your potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in the boiling water. Let cook until tender (about 30 minutes), drain and mash. Set aside to cool. (You can also use leftover mashed potatoes and skip this step completely!)
Grate the remaining potatoes. Use a thin towel to squeeze out any excess liquid. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes and grated potatoes. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix thoroughly.
Slowly add the buttermilk, making sure to watch the consistency. Once it is a smooth, pancake like batter, you’re good to start cooking!
In a pan over medium heat, add a knob of butter and enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When hot, take an ice cream scooper to measure out even sized pancakes and add to the pan.
Let cook about 3-4 minutes per side until crispy brown and fluffy!
Feel free to serve with your favorite breakfast sides or top with sour cream and scallions for a tasty snack.