Boxty

The story

Boxty, bacstaí in Irish, is a potato pancake made with raw grated potato. It belongs to the north midlands, north Connacht and south Ulster, especially Counties Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Fermanagh, Longford and Cavan. The name may come from arán bocht tí, poorhouse bread, or from bácús, bakehouse. There are three main kinds: pan boxty, fried like a griddle cake from a batter that can include milk or baking soda; boxty bread, baked and scored into farls; and boiled boxty, dumplings simmered for over half an hour, then sliced and fried in butter, a Halloween dish in Cavan, Leitrim and south Fermanagh. An old rhyme begins "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan" and warns that anyone who cannot make it will never find a husband. Because it used white flour and took more work than plain boiled potatoes, boxty was a small luxury, and Irish workers carried it to Manchester. It was eaten with butter at teatime and also at breakfast. Bord Bia, the Irish food board, now serves small boxty pancakes with smoked salmon and sour cream. Serve them hot from the pan with butter, or next to fried eggs, sausages and bacon for a weekend breakfast.