1 lb Cooked floury potatoes
1 ts Salt
2 oz Butter, softened
4 tb Self-raising flour
1 Butter for filling
Potato cakes are eaten with bacon and sausages. It’s easier to make them
with hot, freshly cooked potatoes. If using cold potatoes, melt the butter
before adding it. Choose a floury type of potato, and boil in well-salted
water. — Drain the cooked potatoes well, then return to low heat in the
same pan: put a dishcloth over the pan and allow the potatoes to dry for
5-10 minutes. (This is called “drying in their steam” in Ireland.) They
should be dry and floury at the end of the process. Sieve or rice into a
mixing bowl with the salt. Beat in the butter. Work in sufficient flour to
make a soft dough which is easy to handle. Turn onto a floured board and
roll or pat out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 3-inch scone
cutter. Place on the hot greased bakestone and cook over a moderate heat
until golden brown underneath. Turn and cook the other side. Remove from
the bakestone, split, butter generously, and close again. Keep warm while
cooking the next batch. Serve hot. (Re “self-raising flour”: in Ireland and
the UK, this is flour which comes with baking powder/baking soda already
included. For this recipe, about 1/4-1/2 t of baking powder mixed with a
plain all-purpose flour will substitute nicely.)
From
Yields
8 Servings