Boxty comes up in conversation throughout the year, usually accompanied by a wistful smile and some lip-smacking. Should you witness this behavior, kindness dictates that this treat be served as soon as humanly possible. No one will question the date, though your motives may be suspect, as in: “Just how much did you say you spent on…?” Never mind. Boxty is as good as absolution.

Ingredients

1 cup of mashed potatoes
1 cup of grated raw potatoes
2 cups of self-rising flour
1 to 1 ½ cups of milk or buttermilk
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ to ½ cup of butter
Sour cream, optional

Directions

Mix the mashed potatoes with the grated raw potatoes in a large bowl. Stir in the rest of the dry ingredients and 1 cup of liquid. As the batter is mixed, add small amounts of additional milk or buttermilk until the batter is loose enough to work with. Melt two tablespoons of butter over gentle heat. When the butter is melted and the pan heated, ladle small pancakes into the pan. Brown on both sides over medium low heat. Slow cooking works best with this batter. It is not a dish for the impatient. Keep batches warm in a 200 degree F. oven while waiting for all to cook (or serve each as it comes off the pan.) Serve hot with more butter or sour cream.