Boxty (Irish Potato Pancake)
Photo: Original uploaded by DavidBailey (Transfered by Diádoco) · CC BY 3.0

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 40 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g floury potatoes (Roosters), peeled
  • 300g cold mashed potato
  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 egg
  • 200ml whole milk or buttermilk
  • 30g unsalted Irish butter, melted, plus more for the griddle
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 60g Knockdrinna goat's cheese, crumbled (optional)
  • Black pepper
  • To serve: fried bacon, soft-boiled egg, chives

Method

  1. Grate the raw potatoes coarsely. Squeeze hard in a clean tea towel to remove as much liquid as possible; reserve the liquid in a bowl.
  2. Let the reserved potato liquid sit 5 minutes; the starch will settle at the bottom. Pour off and discard the water, keep the starch.
  3. Combine grated potato, reserved starch, mashed potato, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
  4. Beat egg and milk together, then stir into the potato mix with the melted butter and spring onions to form a thick batter.
  5. Heat a heavy griddle or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Smear with butter.
  6. Drop large spoonfuls of batter and flatten gently to 1.5cm thick patties. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through.
  7. Crumble Knockdrinna over while hot. Top with crisp bacon, a soft-boiled egg, and chives. Eat immediately.

Tip from the editors. The squeezed-out potato starch is the binder; throwing it away leaves you with a soft pancake rather than the characteristic snap-crisp boxty edge.

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Where to eat boxty (irish potato pancake)

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancake) in Kilkenny

Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.7

€€ €10-€18BrunchBarrack Street

Arán on Barrack Street won Ireland's Best Brunch at the Georgina Campbell Awards, with fresh-baked sourdough and seasonal brunch plates all day.

Directions

Matt The Millers ★ 4.0

€€ IrishJohn Street

Matt The Millers on John Street is a popular late-night pub for trad music and live acts in a converted mill, with food until 20:30 and late bar trading.

Directions

Foodworks ★ 3.8

€ IrishMedieval Mile

Foodworks on Parliament Street offers farm-to-fork lunches under €14 that draw directly from the owners' family farm, consistently strong value for money.

Directions

Stathams by Pembroke ★ 3.9

€€€€ Tasting €45-65IrishMedieval Mile

Stathams Supper Club at the Pembroke Hotel serves built modern Irish sharing plates and hosts a heated outdoor courtyard in central Kilkenny.

OrderSeasonal sharing plates on local Co. Kilkenny produce; the wine list favours Irish and European.

Book1-2 weeks ahead

TipThe heated outdoor courtyard is one of the better al fresco dining options in the city on a clear evening.

Directions

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