Irish Potato Bread (Irish Potato Cakes or Farls)

Irish potato bread most likely isn’t the typical type of potato bread you’re thinking of, it’s a delicious potato pancake that’s popular in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Delicious for breakfast and eaten for any meal!

If you’ve never had Scottish potato scones, or Irish potato bread, you are really and truly missing out! They’re essentially the same, but have different names in different locations. Even within Ireland, some call them potato bread and others call them potato cakes or farls.

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Regardless of what they are called, they’re so incredibly tasty, especially when fried in the same pan where your bacon was just fried! Oh yes, it’s the thing to do!

Off topic: during March, you hear all about soda bread, but soda scones are even better!

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Can I use Leftover Mashed Potatoes to Make Irish Potato Bread?

Yes, mashed potatoes are great for making Irish potato bread! This is probably how this recipe originated, to be honest. Although there’s normally milk in mashed potatoes, it doesn’t matter, you can just add more flour to get a non-sticky consistency.

In case you’re looking for a different Irish potato recipe, it may be Irish boxty you’re looking for? They are different as they contain raw and mashed potatoes. I have a delicious Irish boxty recipe, too!

If you love potatoes, you’re going to adore Irish potato bread! I hope you give them a try soon!

Irish Potato Bread (Potato Pancakes or Farls)

adapted from Scottish potato scones                  serves

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Special equipment: a potato ricer

If you’re not using leftover mashed potatoes, peel the boiled potatoes.

Use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes, if you have one. If not, just mash them, but your potato bread will come out better if you use a ricer.

Next, add the butter and salt. Taste the potatoes at this point, add more salt if needed.

Then,  very lightly mix in the sifted flour.

It will come together into a dough very quickly and easily. Turn out onto a lightly floured area.

Gently fold over until smooth. Divide into two equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll one ball out to about 1/3″ thick, then cut into quarters with a large knife or cake lifter. Repeat with the second measure of dough.

Heat a pan or griddle to medium to medium high. When hot, begin cooking the Irish potato bread (do not use oil or butter.) When brown on both sides, place on a clean tea towel and cover.

These are fully cooked and may be eaten as is, but traditionally, they are fried in the same pan as the bacon was fried in. Decadently delicious is all I can say!

Add bacon, eggs, toast and more for a full Irish breakfast! (If you add beans, it’s not an authentic Irish fry-up, thanks to Martin Devlin for kindly informing me.)

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Irish Potato Bread (Irish Potato Cakes or Farls)

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A tradtional Irish potato scone type recipe that's often served at breakfast.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb boiled Russet potatoes (weighed after cooking – about 4 large potatoes, cooked in salted water)  -preferably cooked with the skin
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (2 1/2 oz) flour, sifted
• 1/4 stick butter (1 oz) softened, I use Kerrygold
• 1/2 tsp Kosher or sea salt

Instructions

1. If not using leftover mashed potatoes, peel the boiled potatoes.
2. Use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes, if you have one. If not, just mash them, but your potato bread will come out better if you use a ricer.
3. Next, add the butter and salt. Taste the potatoes at this point, add more salt if needed. Then, very lightly mix in the sifted flour. It will come together into a dough very quickly and easily.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured area gently fold over until smooth. Divide into two equal portions and form each into a ball. Roll one ball out to about 1/3″ thick, then cut into quarters with a large knife or cake lifter. Repeat with the second measure of dough.
5. Heat a pan or griddle to medium to medium high. When hot, begin cooking the Irish potato bread (do not use oil or butter.) When brown on both sides, place on a clean tea towel and cover.
6. These are fully cooked and may be eaten as is, but traditionally, they are fried in the same pan as the bacon was fried in. Decadently delicious is all I can say!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 110Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

Nutrition info is estimated.

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