Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The sun is shining, and winter is heading into hibernation. It’s clear why the color green is so significant to the Irish celebration of St. Patrick. It’s a sign of the seasons changing, out with winter white and in with spring green. To celebrate the season and St. Patrick, why not make a batch of Irish Potato Farls to start or end your day?
Much of what is shared and commonly known about St. Patrick is not accurate. Given these common misunderstandings, I want to share more of what is truly known about this man before getting into this week’s bake.
Who was St. Patrick?
St. Patrick was NOT Irish. He was actually British and was never canonized (or officially recognized) as a Saint in the catholic church. He lived during the 4th and 5th centuries, though his specific birth date is unknown. At 16 years old, he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders from his wealthy British family’s estate. While in captivity in Ireland, he worked as a shepherd, alone most of the time. Religion and spirituality was his means of mental escape.
After physically escaping from Ireland and returning to Britain, he became a priest and felt a calling to return to Ireland and spread Christianity, which was already present throughout Ireland. With a strong knowledge of Irish (Celtic/pagan) culture, he was able to connect Christianity with Irish (Celtic/pagan) traditions thus being successful in his quest.
Why do the Irish celebrate on March 17th?
The Irish celebrate St. Patrick on March 17th specifically because that was the date of his death. It was after his death that the impact of his life became profound for the Irish. They relished in telling stories of this man who became their most notable saint. During this time, legendary stories and myths roamed Europe about his life thus naming him a saint by popular acclaim only.
Maybe we could take a note from St. Patrick
While tales were exaggerated about his life, scholars having analyzed his writings, determined that Patrick was indeed a person of good character. He was not the most educated man, but I love the quote by scholar D.A. Binchy, who stated that…
“The moral and spiritual greatness of the man shines through every stumbling sentence of his ‘rustic’ Latin.”
I love this quote because it describes the average person. To me, it simply says that although we may not be the smartest or the wisest, if we put our heart and soul into something we believe, our genuine purpose shines through and is seen and believed.
The meaning of the shamrock
Given the season and the date, the legend I like most about St. Patrick is the purpose of the shamrock (the 3-leaf clover). Since St. Patrick was a religious man, the clover is the perfect symbol for him. The 3 leaves on the shamrock represent the concept of the Holy Trinity; the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit. In Ireland, wearing the shamrock emphasizes St. Patrick’s purpose in life, to spread Christianity. That is why the shamrock is the national flower of Ireland and is worn on lapels every St. Patrick’s Day.
Let’s honor St. Patrick and the season with a traditional bake of Northern Ireland’s Irish Potato Farls.
In honor of St. Patrick, since my last bake was the 4-Ingredient Irish Soda Bread that focused on Southern Ireland, I felt it was only fair to also highlight Northern Ireland. With that, I decided to post about the traditional Northern Ireland Irish Potato Farls. The recipe I used is authentic from Northern Ireland. Potato Farls are simply a potato pancake but known as potato bread. It’s a thick dough flattened like a very thick pancake and cooked/fried in a skillet. It has a crispy exterior with a fluffy interior. It’s simple, quick to make (once you have the potatoes mashed), and perfect for breakfast. You’ll find this tasty bread commonly eaten with eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Top the bread with a bit of butter and jam for a simpler meal or snack.
Check out my video entitled “Irish Potato Farls: Crispy, Fluffy Breakfast Bread” for the history and step-by-step details of this recipe with lots of tips.
Irish Potato Farls (Bread or Pancakes)
Ingredients
- 625 grams or 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and quartered Yokon Gold or Russets are best
- 120 grams or 1 cup all-purpose flour / 120 g or ¾ cup +1 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour Namaste works well
- 2 tbsp butter, melted plus more for cooking
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp salt divided
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and quarter the potatoes. For medium- large potatoes, cut into smaller chunks.
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water to about an inch above the top of the potatoes.
- Add 3/4-1 tbsp of salt to the water and taste the water. It should be salty like the sea. If not, add more salt.
- Place the saucepan on the stove over high heat until the water boils. Turn the heat down to a simmer and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Use a knife or fork to check the doneness of the potatoes. The largest ones should be soft and tender.
- Once soft, drain the potatoes in a colander over the sink. Return the potatoes to the saucepan and place back on the stove.
- Over low heat, allow the potatoes to dry in the saucepan. Once the sizzling has stopped, they should be ready. Careful not to burn them. Stay close to them during those few minutes.
- Remove potatoes from the heat and place in a large mixing bowl. Mash them using a potato masher or potato ricer.
- Melt 2 tbsp of butter and pour it over the potatoes. Lightly stir in the butter.
- Taste the potatoes for seasoning. If they are salty enough, do NOT add anymore salt. If not, add ¼ tsp, taste and add ¼ tsp more. Continue this until you've reached your desired seasoning.
- Add the remaining ingredients: pepper, baking powder, and flour. Stir the mixture together. It will be crumbly.
- On a lightly floured surface, spoon out the mixture (or using your hands, bring it together like a dough and scoop it out).
- Knead the dough until it is well combined and smooth.
- Cut the dough in half. Place one half aside while working with the other.
- Flatten one half of the dough into a round about ¼-½-inch thick or 9-10 inches in diameter.
- Cut the dough into equal quarters and lightly dust each quarter with flour.
- Repeat with the other dough half (flatten it out and cut it into quarters.)
- Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 4 farls and cook covered for 4 minutes. You may need to lower the heat if the farls are cooking faster than 4 minutes. If the farls are not golden brown on the underside after 4 minutes, raise the heat and continue cooking.
- Remove lid and check that the underside is crispy and golden brown. Flip each farl over. Leave uncovered and cook for 4 more minutes. The farls are done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
- Remove them from the skillet and place each on paper towels to drain.
- Repeat the process with the other batch of 4. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet and cook the farls for 4 minutes on each side. Cover the farls with a lid ONLY during the first 4 minutes (uncovered on the flip side will keep the cooked side crispy while the other side cooks)
- Eat immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Interested in other simple breads? Check out these recipes.
Irish Soda Bread using buttermilk
Interested in some kitchen tips or other potato recipe?
Milk Substitute or Alternative
2-way Mashed Potatoes (using a potato ricer)
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please share it. Check out my YouTube Channel as well to see videos of kitchen tips, blog bakes, and dishes. Until next time, go bake the world!