VegetarianNorthern Irish cuisine Breakfast

Boxty

Name: Boxty
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Northern Irish
Ingredients: 300 g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or kerr's pinks); 300 g floury potatoes; 120 g Plain flour; 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 120 ml Buttermilk; 25 g Unsalted butter; 20 g Butter

Crisp on the outside and tender within, traditional boxty combines grated raw and mashed potatoes into comforting, golden griddle cakes.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· County Fermanagh and the Lakelands

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 245 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

300 g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or kerr's pinks) — peeled and cubed, for mashing
300 g floury potatoes — peeled, kept whole for grating
120 g Plain flour — sifted
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda — baking soda
1 tsp Fine sea salt — to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper — fine grind
120 ml Buttermilk — traditional churned or cultured buttermilk
25 g Unsalted butter — melted, for the batter
20 g Butter — for greasing the griddle

Equipment

•Saucepan
•Potato masher
•Box grater
•Clean tea towel
•Mixing bowl
•Heavy frying pan or griddle

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 245 kcal
fat: 8 g
carbs: 38 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 6 g
calories: 245 kcal

Instructions

1
Boil the cubed potatoes in salted water for fifteen minutes until completely tender.
2
Drain thoroughly and mash until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.
3
Grate the remaining raw potatoes finely using the fine side of a box grater.
4
Wrap the grated potato in a clean tea towel and squeeze firmly to extract excess liquid.
5
Whisk the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl.
6
Add the mashed potato, squeezed raw potato, and melted butter to the dry ingredients.
7
Pour in the buttermilk gradually, stirring until a thick dropping batter forms.
8
Melt a small knob of butter on a heavy griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
9
Drop ladlefuls of batter onto the hot pan, flattening gently into thick rounds.
10
Cook for four to five minutes until the underside is deep golden and crisp.
11
Flip carefully and cook the reverse side for four minutes until cooked through.
12
Transfer to a warm plate and serve immediately with extra butter.

Chef's tips

Squeezing as much starch water as possible from the raw grated potato is vital to prevent soggy boxty. Keep the pan at a steady medium-low heat so the thick batter cooks through to the centre without burning the exterior.

Ingredient substitutions

buttermilk → whole milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice, left to stand for 5 minutes
plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum

Storage

Store cooled boxty in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating

Reheat on a lightly buttered griddle over medium heat for two minutes on each side until crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Skipping the squeezing step, which results in a gummy and wet interior.
•Cooking over excessive heat, causing the crust to scorch before the raw potato cooks.
•Overworking the batter, which makes the finished potato cake dense rather than tender.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with a pat of salted farm butter melting over the top.Plate alongside grilled Ulster bacon and fried eggs for breakfast.Pair with smoked Lough Neagh trout and a spoonful of crème fraîche.