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Cast iron skillet with a pan boxty (Irish potato pancake) in it, on a wooden cutting board.
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5 / 4 votes

Pan Boxty ~ Irish Potato Pancake

This pan boxty is essentially an Irish potato pancake. Just a few ingredients--grated potatoes, a little flour, and butter--constitute this classic Irish dish. Lovers of colcannon, rösti, latkes, and hash browns will find comfort here.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Sides
Cuisine: Irish
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 249

Ingredients

  • 6 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, or dill (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Scrub the 6 medium russet potatoes but don't peel them.
  • Line a bowl with cheesecloth. Grate the potatoes onto the cloth, then gather the ends of the cloth and squeeze the liquid from the potatoes into the bowl. Set the potatoes and cloth aside, and let the potato liquid in the bowl sit until the starch settles, 10 to 20 minutes. You should have 8 to 10 cups of grated potatoes.
  • Carefully drain the water from the starch in the bottom of the bowl, reserving the starch and discarding the water. Add the grated potatoes to the bowl with the potato starch, 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and a generous pinch of salt, and toss to coat the potatoes.
  • Melt the 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the potato mixture and pat it down into an even layer. It should be 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
  • Cook over medium heat, letting it turn a nice golden brown. Brown one side before turning it over. Don't increase the heat above medium to rush it, but do peek occasionally to make certain the potatoes aren't browning too quickly.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: You want the outside to turn pale brown by the time the inside is slowly becoming tender.

  • Flip the potato pancake and cook on the other side until crisp and golden on the outside, tender and creamy on the inside, about 40 minutes total, depending on the heat and the size of your skillet. Again, be patient and don't crank the heat or the outside will scorch while the inside remains underdone.
  • Cut the boxty into 4 to 6 wedges and serve it straight from the skillet. Sprinkle over chopped fresh herbs, if using.

Nutrition

Serving: 1wedge | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 19mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g