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.)
Yields
8 Servings