Boxty

A traditional Irish potato pancake made from a mix of grated raw potato, mashed potato and flour, fried until golden.

Boxty originated in the north midlands and border counties of Ireland, particularly Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh, in households where potatoes made up a large part of the diet. It was a practical way to use both leftover mashed potato and raw grated potato in a single dish, and different regions developed their own versions — some pan-fried like a pancake, others boiled as dumplings. An old rhyme, "Boxty on the griddle, boxty in the pan, if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man," reflects how embedded the dish was in domestic life and courtship folklore.

A proper boxty combines both raw grated potato, squeezed of excess liquid, and cooked mashed potato — using only one or the other changes the texture significantly. It should be pan-fried in butter until the edges are crisp and golden.