Irish Potato Boxty
Photo: さえぼー · CC0

History

Boxty belongs to the potato-kitchen traditions of western Irish counties, particularly Connacht and Ulster, where the potato was the dominant subsistence crop before the Great Famine. The name comes from the Irish aran bocht ti, meaning poor-house bread, reflecting the dish origins as a way to use every part of the potato harvest including the starchy water from grating. The Gourmet Food Parlour in Galway and John Keoghs gastropub both run boxty as a fixture on their full-Irish and lunch menus, continuing the tradition of cooking the dish with local Connacht floury potato varieties like Kerr Pink and Golden Wonder.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Milk, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g floury potatoes (e.g. Rooster or Maris Piper)
  • 200g dry mashed potato (from about 200g floury potato, boiled and well-dried)
  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 100ml buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon white pepper
  • Butter and a little oil for frying

Method

  1. Peel and coarsely grate the raw potatoes. Place in a clean cloth and wring out as much liquid as possible.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the wrung-out grated potato with the cold dry mashed potato.
  3. Add flour, egg, buttermilk, salt and pepper. Mix to a thick batter.
  4. Heat butter and a little oil in a heavy frying pan over medium heat.
  5. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan. Flatten gently to about 1cm thick.
  6. Cook 4-5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through.
  7. Serve with smoked bacon, black pudding, sour cream and chives.

Tip from the editors. Squeezing every drop of water from the grated raw potato is the most important step; water in the batter makes soggy boxty and stops the crust forming.

Where to eat irish potato boxty

Irish Potato Boxty in Galway

Gourmet Food Parlour ★ 4.0

€€ €12-20BrunchHomestyle Irish brunch: full breakfasts, pancake stacks, egg dishesSalthill

Gourmet Food Parlour in Galway runs a weekend brunch menu from 9am; the eggs royale and pancake stacks with seasonal fruit are the most popular orders.

OrderPancake stack with Connacht butter and seasonal compote

Directions

John Keogh's ★ 4.3

€€€ Cocktail barGastropub and whiskey barWestend

John Keoghs on Dominick Street Galway pours 14 draught craft lines and 80 Irish whiskeys in a Victorian bar that anchors the West End craft scene.

DrinkIrish whiskey flight from a 150-bottle back-bar selection

FoodFull kitchen: wild Atlantic seafood, fish pie and seasonal mains

Directions

Dela ★ 4.7

€€ €10-18BrunchMinimal seasonal Irish brunch: fermented breads, cultured dairy, seasonal fruitWestend

Dela on Dominick Street Galway serves weekend brunch from 10am; the sourdough toast with local eggs and seasonal farm vegetables is the standout dish.

OrderDark rye with cultured butter and seasonal compote, followed by grain porridge with Connacht honey

Directions

Brasserie on the Corner ★ 4.2

€€ €12-24BrunchEuropean all-day brunch: eggs Benedict, smoked salmon, avocadoEyre Square

Brasserie on the Corner on Eglinton Street Galway is the city brasserie for large brunch tables; full Irish and eggs Benedict run Saturday and Sunday.

OrderEggs Benedict with Connemara smoked salmon on toasted sourdough with dill hollandaise

Directions

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