Description
Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake recipe that combines both mashed and grated potatoes to create a crispy, golden pancake with a tender inside. These savory pancakes are cooked on the stovetop and kept warm in the oven, perfect for serving with classic toppings like sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, or fried eggs for a deliciously comforting meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Potato Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (4 1/2 ounces; 127 g)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt, use half as much by volume
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds (907 g) russet potatoes, divided
- 4 scallions (about 2 ounces; 56 g), thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (see notes)
- 4 1/2 tablespoons (63 g) unsalted butter, divided
For Serving (Optional)
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Cooked bacon
- Fried eggs
Instructions
- Prepare oven: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 200℉ (95℃). Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and set aside to keep pancakes warm after cooking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, baking soda, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Boil half the potatoes: Peel 1 pound of potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon salt and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium, and simmer vigorously until potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Mash boiled potatoes: Transfer boiled potatoes to a large bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork or potato masher until smooth and lump-free.
- Grate remaining potatoes: Peel remaining 1 pound potatoes. Using a box grater over a clean kitchen towel, grate the potatoes. Gather towel edges and carefully squeeze out excess liquid over the sink. Add shredded potatoes to the bowl with the mashed potatoes.
- Combine batter: Stir mashed and grated potatoes together gently. Add sliced scallions and egg, mixing to combine. Stir in flour mixture until incorporated. Using a spatula, gently fold in buttermilk until the batter is thick and pancake-like with no dry flour streaks remaining.
- Cook pancakes: Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Spoon 4 heaping 1/4-cup portions of batter into skillet, flattening each to 4-inch wide by 1/2-inch thick circles. Cook undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 to 6 minutes. Flip gently and cook the other side until golden, 4 to 6 minutes more.
- Keep pancakes warm: Transfer cooked pancakes to the prepared wire rack-lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with remaining batter in batches of four, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons butter between batches.
- Serve: Sprinkle hot pancakes with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and additional scallions for garnish. Serve with optional toppings such as sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, or fried eggs as desired.
Notes
- You can substitute leftover mashed potatoes for the freshly boiled and mashed potatoes by starting with 2 cups of cold mashed potatoes, then mixing in freshly grated potatoes, egg, flour mixture, scallions, and buttermilk.
- The buttermilk can be replaced by 3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup plain yogurt for a similar tang and consistency.
- Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for accurate seasoning; if using regular table salt, use half the amount specified.
- Russet potatoes are preferred for their texture and starch content, yielding a better pancake consistency.
- Keeping the pancakes warm in the oven until serving helps maintain crispness and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pancake (assuming 6 pancakes)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
