This dish probably started being baked by Irish firesides in its present form about three hundred years ago. It's now baked on halogen and gas and convection cooktops all over the country whenever a home chef wants to make a quick and easy dessert that can with equal aplomb appear cool and demurely sliced on the tea trolley, or as the crown of a country-style supper, piping hot and drizzled with thick Irish cream.

The potato would have been a relatively late addition to the equation. "Filled bannocks" of this kind were being made with merely flour-based doughs in the time of the ancient Celts, who valued the apple not only as a gift and symbol of the Gods, but as one of the relatively few fruits that grows reliably in the Irish climate.

Please note: because of the delicacy of the potato crust, this tart sometimes resists coming out of the pan in one piece (like the example in the background of our picture, which tastefully tore itself in three during removal). The recipe suggests some ways around this problem.

Click on "read more" for the recipe.

For the crust:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 pound (about 3/4 cup) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Rounded 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pound freshly washed potatoes

For the filling:

• 2 large cooking apples or three smaller ones. If you can't get cooking apples, use a tart (preferably green) variety like Granny Smith. Bramley or a similar variety works best.
• A little sugar to taste
• 4-5 cloves, or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Boil the potatoes in their jackets for about 20-25 minutes, or until tender. When ready, drain off the water and return the potatoes and the pot they were cooked in to low heat: allow them to steam dry for 5-10 minutes. Peel and mash while still hot. (You can also simply rice them if you prefer.) Allow to cool to at least lukewarm. While this is going on, peel and core the apples and slice thinly.

Rub the butter into the flour (or if using a food processor, pulse it in) until a fine cornmeal texture is achieved. Add the salt and baking powder and mix well (or pulse again until mixed). Add the freshly mashed potatoes and knead gently for a few minutes, or process for about two minutes, allowing to rest occasionally.

When the dough is ready, divide into two pieces and roll into circles of equal size (about 9-10 inches). Have ready a flat-bottomed frying pan or lipped griddle that the circles will fit in comfortably.

Grease the pan or griddle with oil or butter (butter is preferable). Place one of the dough circles in the frying pan and arrange the apples on it in flat layers, avoiding the outermost inch of the circle. Cover with the other circle of dough and pinch the edges together.

Cook gently over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes, peeking occasionally to make sure that the crust isn't burning. Turn once, using a plate to assist you. Cook the other side for at least 10 minutes and then gently lift back the top crust to check the doneness of the apples.

When they are cooked through, lift the top back one half at a time and sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves / ground cloves, and dot with the butter. Replace the crust and leave on the heat for another 5 minutes to allow the seasonings to blend with the butter and bubble through the apple mixture.

Normally an apple and potato cake is sliced and served directly from the frying pan or griddle. Please note that it will resist being neatly sliced (like the example in our photograph). However, some cooks do like to try to remove it from the pan so that the whole thing can be served on a plate at the table and sliced there. You will probably need two spatulas to pull this off. Note that the pastry is fairly tender even when the cake is done, and it will need very even support.

The best way to serve the finished dish is hot from the pan with a thick cream poured over (sour cream works well too). Some prefer it cooled down, with a pouring custard.