Irish Potato Bread (Irish Farls) Recipe
Irish Potato Bread, also known as Irish Farls, is a traditional Irish recipe made from tender mashed potatoes combined with plain flour and butter, then pan-fried to golden perfection. This soft, buttery bread is perfect as a side for breakfast or any meal, delivering a comforting and rustic taste with a crispy exterior and fluffy interior.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Bread
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 750 grams (1.65 lbs) potatoes
- 30 grams (6 teaspoons) butter, melted
- 225 grams (1 ½ cups) plain flour
- Good pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
- Extra butter and olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes: Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters or large chunks. Add them to a large pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a hard simmer. Cook the potatoes until tender and fully cooked through.
- Drain and Cool: Strain the cooked potatoes into a colander and leave them to cool sufficiently so they can be handled safely.
- Mash the Potatoes: Once cooled, pass the potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl to achieve a smooth texture. Alternatively, mash them thoroughly using a potato masher, ensuring the mash is free of lumps.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the melted butter, plain flour, and a good pinch of salt to the mashed potatoes. If you choose to add any extra flavorings or ingredients, do so now.
- Mix the Dough: Initially mix the ingredients with a spoon until it becomes difficult to mix with the spoon alone.
- Knead the Dough: Continue mixing with your hands to bring the dough together. If the dough is too sticky to handle, gradually add more flour until manageable.
- Shape the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead quickly until smooth, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into six equal portions and shape each into a ball.
- Roll Out Portions: On a floured surface, roll each ball out using a floured rolling pin. Roll to your preferred thickness: about 3mm (one eighth of an inch) for thin bread, or up to half a centimeter (just under a quarter inch) for thicker pieces.
- Cut Dough: Cut each rolled dough round into quarters to form traditional farls. Alternatively, cook whole for larger pieces.
- Heat Pan and Add Fat: Heat a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil and a dollop of butter. Once the butter has melted and the pan is hot, proceed to cook the bread.
- Fry the Potato Bread: Place dough pieces in the pan. Fry on one side until golden brown, then carefully flip with a spatula and fry the other side until golden and cooked through.
- Keep Warm: Transfer the cooked potato bread to a tray in a low oven, covering with aluminum foil to prevent drying out. Cook the remaining dough pieces, adding more butter and oil to the pan as needed.
Notes
- Use salted butter and omit additional salt to control saltiness.
- Adjust flour quantity slightly if dough feels too sticky or too dry; humidity and potato moisture content can vary.
- Serve warm with butter, alongside breakfast items like eggs and bacon, or with soups and stews.
- Irish Farls can be cooked whole for a more rustic presentation or quartered for traditional shapes.
- Use a non-stick frying pan for best results to avoid sticking and burning.
- Potato ricing ensures very smooth texture but mashing works well if done thoroughly.
