Non-VegetarianNorth West English cuisine Breakfast

Lancashire Potato Cakes

Name: Lancashire Potato Cakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North West English
Ingredients: 600 g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or king edward); 90 g Plain flour; 0.5 tsp Baking powder; 25 g Unsalted butter; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp Fresh chives; 40 g beef dripping

Crisp on the outside and fluffy within, these thrifty Lancashire potato cakes are fried until rich golden brown in beef dripping.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North West England

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 240 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

600 g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or king edward) — peeled and cut into evenly sized chunks
90 g Plain flour — plus extra for dusting
½ tsp Baking powder
25 g Unsalted butter — melted
1 tsp Fine sea salt — plus extra for the cooking water
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp Fresh chives — finely snipped
40 g beef dripping — or lard, for frying

Equipment

•Large saucepan
•Potato masher
•Mixing bowl
•7 cm round cutter
•Heavy frying pan
•Fish slice

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 240 kcal
fat: 11 g
carbs: 31 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 240 kcal

Instructions

1
Put the potato chunks into a large saucepan and cover with cold, salted water.
2
Bring to the boil on the hob over medium-high heat.
3
Simmer for 15 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
4
Drain the potatoes thoroughly and let the steam escape for 2 minutes.
5
Mash the warm potatoes in a bowl until completely smooth without lumps.
6
Stir the melted butter, sea salt, black pepper, and chives into the mash.
7
Sift the plain flour and baking powder into the bowl.
8
Mix gently with your hands to bring the mixture into a soft dough.
9
Tip onto a floured surface and pat down to 1.5 cm thickness.
10
Cut into rounds using a floured 7 cm pastry cutter.
11
Melt the beef dripping in a heavy frying pan over medium heat.
12
Fry the cakes for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until crisp and golden brown.

Chef's tips

Steam-drying the boiled potatoes before mashing is crucial to avoid a soggy dough that needs too much flour. Handle the potato dough lightly; overworking it makes the finished cakes heavy rather than light and tender.

Ingredient substitutions

beef dripping → salted butter or vegetable oil for a vegetarian option
plain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend

Storage

Keep leftover cooked potato cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until heated through and crisp.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using cold mash with too much moisture, which requires excess flour and turns the cakes rubbery
•Frying over excessive heat, which browns the outside before the interior warms through
•Kneading the potato mixture like bread dough instead of gently binding it

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with a fried egg and grilled back baconSpread generously with salted butter while steaming hotAccompany with baked beans for a hearty North West breakfast