Ireland: Boxty

Boxty is yet another of the numerous Irish foodstuffs that has poetry written about it. It would have been a mainstay of the home cook's repertoire, two hundred years ago, as a convenient and enjoyable way to use the ubiquitous potato. Boxty has some similarities to other European potato cake recipes, especially latkes.
Apparently Irish men were thought to like boxty a lot, since the most famous of the boxty poems says:
Boxty on the griddle,
boxty in the pan,
if you can't make boxty,
you'll never get a man.
(Your mileage may vary.)
Here's the recipe...
- 1/2 lb raw potato
- 1/2 lb mashed potato
- 1/2 lb plain flour
- 1 egg
- Milk, to mix
- Salt and pepper
Grate raw potatoes and mix with the cooked mashed potatoes. Add salt, pepper and flour. Beat egg and add to mixture with just enough milk to make a batter that will drop from a spoon.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook over a moderate heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a tart apple sauce: or as part of an Ulster Fry, with fried bacon, fried sausage, fried eggs, fried black pudding, fried bread, fried soda bread...
Don't forget to visit our other Irish food pages!
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Discover Why We Have No Recipes for Corned Beef and Cabbage (though we'll tell you where to find some if you insist)
Learn The Secret to Making Authentic Irish Coffee
Visit Our Authentic Irish Recipe Collections
Find out about The Best Irish Cookbooks
Learn How to Make Soda Bread the Authentic Irish Way (with video tutorials)
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