Ingredients
Farls
- 500 gfloury potatoes (Maris Piper or similar), peeled
- 50 gbutter, melted, plus more for the pan
- 1 tspsalt
- about 100 g plain flour, plus more for dusting
Directions
- Boil the potatoes until completely tender, then drain them very well and leave them in the hot dry pan for a minute to steam off. Wet potato needs more flour, and more flour is what makes farls tough.
- Mash them thoroughly while still hot — cold potato goes gluey — and beat in the melted butter and salt.
- Work in the flour a little at a time, only until the mash comes together into a soft dough that just holds. Stop as soon as it does. The right amount depends on the potatoes and the number on the packet is a guide, not a rule.
- Turn out onto a floured surface, pat into a round about 1 cm thick, and cut it into quarters — these quarters are what farl means.
- Cook on a dry, hot griddle or heavy frying pan for 4–5 minutes a side, until well browned in patches and cooked through. They should smell nutty, not raw.
- Serve straight away, or cool them and fry them in bacon fat until crisp as part of an Ulster fry.
Technique
- Handle the dough as little as possible. Every extra minute of working develops gluten and moves the farl from tender towards rubbery.
- The whole dish exists to use up yesterday’s potatoes, and cold leftover mash works perfectly — just warm it slightly before adding the flour.
Substitutions
- Any floury potato will do; waxy potatoes give a heavy, damp farl.
- Bacon fat instead of butter is traditional and better.
Variations
- One of the components of an Ulster fry, alongside soda farl, bacon, egg and black pudding. In Scotland the close relative is the tattie scone.
History
A northern Irish way to use leftover potato, cooked on a griddle and fried in bacon fat.
Frequently asked questions
What is Potato bread?
Potato bread is a bread & pastry from Ireland: flat potato farls griddled then fried, part of an Ulster fry. A northern Irish way to use leftover potato, cooked on a griddle and fried in bacon fat.
How long does Potato bread take to make?
Potato bread takes 20 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 8 farls. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Potato bread?
Yes, within limits. Any floury potato will do; waxy potatoes give a heavy, damp farl. Bacon fat instead of butter is traditional and better.
What is the most important thing to get right in Potato bread?
The whole dish exists to use up yesterday’s potatoes, and cold leftover mash works perfectly — just warm it slightly before adding the flour.
