Non-VegetarianNorth East English cuisine Breakfast

Floddies

Name: Floddies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North East English
Ingredients: 500 g maris piper potatoes; 125 g smoked streaky bacon; 1 small brown onion; 35 g Plain flour; 1 whole medium egg; 40 g beef dripping; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp Coarse black pepper; 1 tbsp Fresh chives

Crisp, golden potato and bacon fritters from Gateshead, pan-fried in rich dripping until tender inside and crunchy at the edges.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North East England

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 310 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

500 g maris piper potatoes — peeled
125 g smoked streaky bacon — finely chopped
1 small brown onion — peeled and finely grated
35 g Plain flour — about 2 tbsp
1 whole medium egg — lightly beaten
40 g beef dripping — or lard, divided
½ tsp Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
½ tsp Coarse black pepper — freshly ground
1 tbsp Fresh chives — finely snipped, optional garnish

Equipment

•Box grater
•Clean tea towel
•Mixing bowl
•Heavy frying pan
•Fish slice
•Kitchen paper

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 26 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 11 g
calories: 310 kcal

Instructions

1
Coarsely grate the peeled potatoes using the large holes of a box grater.
2
Place the grated potatoes into a clean tea towel and wring out as much liquid as possible.
3
Tip the squeezed potato shreds into a large mixing bowl.
4
Add the chopped bacon, grated onion, plain flour, beaten egg, salt, and black pepper.
5
Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a fork until evenly coated and cohesive.
6
Melt half the beef dripping in a large frying pan over a medium hob heat.
7
Drop four generous mounds of the potato mixture into the hot pan.
8
Flatten each mound gently with a fish slice into rough 1 cm thick patties.
9
Fry for 5 minutes per side until crisp, deeply browned, and cooked in the centre.
10
Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining dripping and potato mixture.
11
Scatter with snipped chives and serve immediately while hot and crunchy.

Chef's tips

Squeezing every drop of moisture from the grated potato is crucial for achieving a crisp rather than soggy texture. Keep the hob heat moderate so the potato cooks completely through before the outer edges burn. If cooking in batches, keep the finished fritters crisp on a wire rack in a low oven.

Ingredient substitutions

beef dripping → lard or vegetable oil
smoked streaky bacon → unsmoked back bacon or vegetarian bacon rashers
plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend

Storage

Store cooled fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 190°C fan for 8 to 10 minutes until heated through and crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Failing to squeeze out the potato liquid, which makes the fritters soggy instead of crisp
•Cooking over excessive heat, leaving the raw potato uncooked in the middle
•Overcrowding the frying pan, which drops the temperature and steams the patties

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with a fried egg and brown sauce for a traditional northern breakfastPair with baked beans or mushy peas for a quick weekday supperEnjoy alongside a fresh green salad and pickled onions