Name: Traditional Irish Potato Boxty recipe
Ingredients: Potatoes: 1 lb (approx. 450g) starchy potatoes (e.g., Russets, Maris Piper, King Edward), peeled. You’ll use half for grating raw and half for mashing. Starchy potatoes are key for the right texture.; All-Purpose Flour: 1 cup (approx. 125g), plus a little extra for dusting if needed.; Milk or Buttermilk: ½ to ¾ cup (120-180ml). Buttermilk adds a traditional tangy flavour, but regular milk works perfectly well. Start with ½ cup and add more if the batter is too thick.; Salt: 1 teaspoon, or to taste.; Freshly Ground Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon, or to taste.; Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda): ½ teaspoon (optional, but helps with a little lift and tenderness, especially if not using buttermilk).; Butter or Vegetable Oil: For frying. A combination often works well – butter for flavour, oil for a higher smoke point. Approximately 2-3 tablespoons, plus more as needed.; Optional: Egg: 1 large egg, lightly beaten. Some traditional recipes include an egg for binding and richness, while others omit it. This recipe works well either way, but an egg can make the boxty a bit more tender and less prone to breaking.

Ingredients

Potatoes: 1 lb (approx. 450g) starchy potatoes (e.g., Russets, Maris Piper, King Edward), peeled. You’ll use half for grating raw and half for mashing. Starchy potatoes are key for the right texture.

All-Purpose Flour: 1 cup (approx. 125g), plus a little extra for dusting if needed.

Milk or Buttermilk: ½ to ¾ cup (120-180ml). Buttermilk adds a traditional tangy flavour, but regular milk works perfectly well. Start with ½ cup and add more if the batter is too thick.

Salt: 1 teaspoon, or to taste.

Freshly Ground Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon, or to taste.

Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda): ½ teaspoon (optional, but helps with a little lift and tenderness, especially if not using buttermilk).

Butter or Vegetable Oil: For frying. A combination often works well – butter for flavour, oil for a higher smoke point. Approximately 2-3 tablespoons, plus more as needed.

Optional: Egg: 1 large egg, lightly beaten. Some traditional recipes include an egg for binding and richness, while others omit it. This recipe works well either way, but an egg can make the boxty a bit more tender and less prone to breaking.

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Instructions

Prepare the Potatoes (The Dual Method):
- Take half of your peeled potatoes (approx. ½ lb / 225g). Cut them into chunks and boil them in salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well, then mash them thoroughly until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- While the potatoes for mashing are boiling, take the other half of the peeled potatoes (approx. ½ lb / 225g). Grate these raw potatoes using the fine side of a box grater into a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of cheesecloth.

Squeeze the Raw Potatoes:
- Once all raw potatoes are grated, gather the ends of the kitchen towel (or cheesecloth) and twist tightly, squeezing out as much liquid as possible over a bowl. Discard the liquid (or reserve it – some old traditions let the starch settle from this liquid, discard the water, and add the potato starch back to the mixture, but this is an advanced step). The drier the grated potatoes, the crispier your boxty will be.

Combine the Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled mashed potatoes and the squeezed raw grated potatoes.
- Add the all-purpose flour, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and baking soda (if using). If you’re using an egg, add the lightly beaten egg now.
- Begin to mix these ingredients together. It will be quite a stiff mixture initially.

Add Milk/Buttermilk:
- Gradually pour in the milk or buttermilk, starting with ½ cup. Mix until you achieve a thick, but droppable, batter consistency – similar to thick pancake batter or soft mashed potatoes. You might need a little more or less milk/buttermilk depending on the moisture content of your potatoes and the absorbency of your flour. Avoid making the batter too runny.

Rest the Batter (Optional but Recommended):
- Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for about 15-30 minutes if time permits. This allows the flour to hydrate fully and can improve the texture of the boxty.

Cook the Boxty:
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or griddle (cast iron is ideal) over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of butter and/or oil to the pan – enough to generously coat the bottom.
- Once the butter is melted and foamy (or the oil shimmers), drop spoonfuls of the boxty batter onto the hot skillet. Use about ¼ cup of batter per boxty, depending on your desired size. Gently flatten each mound with the back of the spoon to about ½-inch thickness.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary.

Fry Until Golden and Crispy:
- Cook the boxty for about 4-6 minutes on the first side, or until the underside is deeply golden brown and crispy.
- Carefully flip the boxty pancakes and cook for another 4-6 minutes on the other side, until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure the raw potato is cooked.
- Add more butter/oil to the pan as needed between batches to prevent sticking and ensure crispiness.

Serve Hot:
- Remove the cooked boxty from the pan and place them on a wire rack for a moment (to prevent sogginess) or directly onto plates. If cooking in batches, you can keep the cooked boxty warm in a low oven (around 200°F / 90°C) on an oven-safe plate or baking sheet.
- Serve immediately with your favourite accompaniments.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 250-350