Boxty Recipe

The best thing about this Irish boxty is the contrast between its two kinds of potato. Four medium potatoes are grated for a lacy, lightly crisp edge, while four mashed potatoes give the cakes a tender, almost creamy middle. It is a simple combination, but it produces far more character than a plain potato pancake. The buttermilk adds a gentle tang, and the small amount of baking soda keeps the mixture from becoming heavy, especially once the flour is added. The texture depends on handling the grated potatoes properly. After grating, squeeze them firmly in a clean tea towel to remove excess liquid; otherwise the batter can turn loose and steam in the pan instead of browning. Mix the grated and mashed potatoes with the two cups of flour, then stir in the buttermilk and baking soda just until everything comes together. The mixture should be thick enough to scoop and shape, not pour like pancake batter. I like making eight fairly thick cakes, because thinner ones lose the soft potato center that makes this recipe distinctive. Melt some of the two tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat and cook the boxty in batches, adding a little more butter as needed. Give each cake room so the edges can brown properly, and resist pressing them down with the spatula. Cook for roughly four to five minutes per side, turning when the underside is a deep golden brown and the cake releases easily. If the outside colors before the center feels firm, lower the heat; grated potato needs time to cook through, and a slower pan is much better than a scorched surface. Serve these for dinner while they are hot and crisp, either as the main part of the plate or alongside roast chicken, sausages, bacon, or a simple beef stew. They are especially good with a spoonful of sour cream, a little chopped chive, or a sharp apple relish to cut through the buttery potato. For a lighter meal, pair them with smoked salmon and a green salad. Boxty is also a smart way to use leftover mashed potatoes, though freshly mashed potatoes work just as well; avoid adding too much milk to the mash, since a wet potato base makes shaping and browning more difficult.