Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 750 grams (1.65 lbs) potatoes
- 30 grams (6 teaspoons) melted butter
- 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 Potatoes: Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters or large chunks. Place them in a large pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a hard simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
- Drain and Cool: Strain the potatoes into a colander and allow them to cool enough to handle comfortably.
- Mash Potatoes: Use a potato ricer to rice the potatoes into a large bowl or mash well with a potato masher ensuring there are no lumps.
- Add Ingredients: Add the melted butter, plain flour, and salt to the mashed potatoes. If desired, add additional spices or herbs to enhance flavor at this point.
- Mix Dough: Start mixing the ingredients with a spoon until it becomes difficult to continue stirring.
- Knead Dough: Use your hands to knead the mixture in the bowl. If dough is sticky, gradually add more flour until manageable.
- Final Knead and Portion: Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly until smooth. Divide the dough into six equal portions and shape each into a ball.
- Roll Dough: Place one dough ball on a floured surface or lined wooden board. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to your preferred thickness (3mm for thin or 5mm for thicker bread).
- Cut Dough: Cut the rolled dough into quarters to form farls or keep whole for larger bread pieces.
- Heat Pan and Fry: Heat a non-stick frypan on medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil and a dollop of butter. Once the butter has melted, place the dough pieces in the pan.
- Cook Both Sides: Fry the dough pieces until golden on one side, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through.
- Keep Warm: Transfer cooked breads to a tray in a low-heat oven, cover loosely with foil to keep warm and prevent drying. Repeat frying with remaining dough, adding butter and oil as needed.
Notes
- Using a potato ricer ensures lump-free, fluffy potatoes which improve the texture of the bread.
- If the dough feels too sticky, add flour gradually during kneading to avoid dryness.
- For added flavor, herbs such as chives or parsley can be mixed into the dough before cooking.
- Adjust the frying pan temperature to avoid burning the outside before the inside cooks through.
- Irish Farls are best served warm and can be enjoyed with butter, jams, or as a side to soups and stews.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Irish
