Potato Cakes

 

This is a very traditional recipe for potato cakes, with only a few ingredients.  Potatoes, salt, butter and flour.  Its like magic!  Simple ingredients put together in a very delicious way. These little cakes are ideal served warm, for breakfast or tea time!

 

You wouldn't think that a few simple ingredients could create something so tasty, but they do. Proof positive that some of the very best things in life are, and come from . . .  simple things.  Mashed potatoes (without any milk added) are mixed together with a knob of butter until it melts, and a hefty pinch of salt.  You then let it cool to room temperature.  Once it is cold you knead in plain flour, and that it is.  Roughly 1/3 the weight of flour as the potatoes.  Make sure your potatoes are really dry when you mash them.  Shake the pot over the residual heat in the burner to dry them out. You also want to use a floury type of potato, suitable for mashing. Not a new potato, but a good, old potato.

 

Once you have the flour kneaded in, you roll the mixture out to a rectangle about 1/2 inch in thickness and  cut it  into triangles. I cut it once through the middle lengthwise, and then into squares crosswise and then cut the squares into triangles across the middle.  Easy peasy.

 

They are then "Baked" on top of the stove on a hot griddle pan/heavy based frying pan.  First until golden on the underside, and then flip and brown on the other side.  Don't be in too much of a hurry. You want them to cook in the middle.

 

They are lovely served warm,  just as they are  . . . with a cooked breakfast . . .  eggs, bacon, sausage  . . . perhaps with a bit of butter to melt on top.

 

They are lovely served for breakfast kind of like a stodgy pancake, buttered and served hot with sugar for sprinkling . . .  maybe even cinnamon sugar.

 

We like them warm with butter and jam.  To each their own.  They really are very nice. Very nice indeed.   I think they are really very, very special.

 

*Potato Cakes*

Makes approximately 12

Printable Recipe

A traditional recipe, normally baked on an iron "Griddle" or in a heavy skillet. Ideal served warm with sugar and butter, but we enjoy them with butter and jam. They also go well with a full cooked breakfast.

350g freshly boiled potato,
mashed with a large knob of butter
and plenty of salt while still hot (NO milk)
(about 1 pound peeled and mashed)

140g plain flour (1 cup)

 

After you have mashed your potatoes (smooth as you can) and melted the butter in them.  Allow to cool completely.  Add the flour to make a smooth pliable dough, kneading it in. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle which is 1/2 inch thick. Cut into triangles.

 

 Heat a dry griddle pan or heavy bottomed skillet over medium low heat.  Place the potato cakes in it and brown first on one side, and then the other.  This should take about 3 minutes per side. Don't be in a hurry. You want them to cook through the middle without burning on the outside.  Serve warm.

 

I love these old traditonal recipes. I feel like I am eating the history of my ancestors with every mouthful. There is great value in them, as simple as they are.  They are really pretty wonderful. I hope you will give these tasty little cakes a go. I think you will agree with me in saying they are very special indeed.  Bon Appetit!