Description
This traditional Irish Potato Bread, also known as Irish Farls, is a simple and hearty bread made with just potatoes, flour, butter, and salt. Fried to a golden crisp, it makes a perfect accompaniment to an Ulster Fry or as a tasty snack. Easy to prepare and cook on the stovetop, it offers a comforting taste of Irish cuisine.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 750 grams potatoes (1.65 lbs)
- 30 grams butter (6 teaspoons, melted)
- 225 grams plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
- Good pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
- Extra butter and olive oil to fry
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters or large chunks. Place them in a large pot of cold water.
- Cook Potatoes: Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until tender and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain and Cool: Strain the potatoes into a colander and allow them to cool until they are easy to handle.
- Mash Potatoes: Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes into a large bowl. If a ricer is not available, mash thoroughly with a potato masher until no lumps remain.
- Mix Dough Ingredients: Add the melted butter, plain flour, and salt to the mashed potatoes. Stir with a spoon until mixture becomes thick and difficult to stir.
- Knead Dough: Use your hands to knead the dough in the bowl. If too sticky, sprinkle additional flour until manageable. Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth, adding more flour if necessary.
- Divide Dough: Divide the dough into six equal portions and shape each into a ball.
- Roll and Shape: On a floured surface, roll each dough ball out to 3mm thickness for thin bread or about 5mm for thicker bread. Cut each rolled dough into four quarters (farls), or leave whole for larger pieces.
- Heat Pan: Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil and a dollop of butter, melting the butter completely.
- Fry Potato Bread: Add the dough pieces to the pan and fry on one side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Flip carefully and fry the other side until also golden and cooked through.
- Keep Warm: Place cooked farls on a tray in a low oven (about 100°C / 210°F) covered with foil to keep warm and prevent drying while frying the remaining dough.
Notes
- Use salted butter to omit adding extra salt in the dough if preferred.
- For a crispier texture, fry with a combination of butter and olive oil as butter alone can burn easily.
- Rolling thickness affects cooking time and texture: thinner for crispier farls, thicker for softer bread.
- Farls can be customized by adding chopped herbs or cheese to the dough before cooking.
- Serve warm as part of a traditional Irish breakfast or as a side to soups and stews.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
