Description
Boxty, traditional Irish potato pancakes, are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Made with a combination of mashed and grated potatoes, scallions, and seasoned with salt and pepper, these pancakes are cooked in butter to golden perfection. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, they can be topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, bacon, or fried eggs.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 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
Potatoes and Vegetables
- 2 pounds (907 g) russet potatoes, divided
- 4 scallions (about 2 ounces; 56 g), thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
For Cooking and Serving
- 4 1/2 tablespoons (63 g) unsalted butter, divided
- Sour cream, for serving
- Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
- Cooked bacon, for serving
- Fried eggs, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 200℉ (95℃). Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and set aside to keep the cooked pancakes warm.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, baking soda, and freshly ground black pepper. Set this dry mix aside for later use.
- Boil Half the Potatoes: Peel 1 pound of the potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces. Add them to a medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon salt and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer vigorously until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Mash the boiled potatoes in a large bowl until smooth with no lumps.
- Grate the Remaining Potatoes: While the boiled potatoes cool, peel the remaining 1 pound of potatoes. Using a box grater over a clean kitchen towel, shred these potatoes. Gather the towel edges and carefully squeeze out as much liquid as possible over the sink. Transfer the shredded potatoes to the bowl with the mashed potatoes and gently combine.
- Add Aromatics and Batter Components: Stir in the thinly sliced scallions and the beaten egg into the potato mixture. Then add the reserved dry ingredients from step 2 and mix. Using a spatula, fold in the buttermilk until the batter is thick and pancake-like with no dry flour streaks remaining.
- Cook the Boxty Pancakes: Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Drop 4 heaping 1/4-cup portions of the potato batter into the skillet, flattening each into about 4-inch wide and 1/2-inch thick circles. Cook undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 to 6 minutes. Flip carefully and cook the other side until golden brown, another 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer cooked pancakes to the wire rack-lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat this process in 3 batches total, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter before each batch.
- Serve: When ready to serve, sprinkle the hot potato pancakes with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and garnish with additional scallions. Serve with optional toppings like sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, or fried eggs as desired.
Notes
- For best texture, use starchy russet potatoes as they give a fluffy interior.
- Be sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the grated potatoes to prevent soggy pancakes.
- You can adjust salt according to taste or dietary needs, especially if using table salt instead of kosher salt.
- These pancakes are versatile and can be enjoyed for any meal of the day with suitable toppings.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a low oven until ready to serve to maintain their crispiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 371 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 856 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 92 mg
