Baked potato farls

Name: Baked potato farls
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1 large potato (about 200g) peeled and cut into roughly 3cm cubes; 170g plain flour, plus extra for kneading; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; freshly ground black pepper*; 50g unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature; 2 tbsp finely chopped chives* (or 2 spring onions, finely sliced); 1 tbsp milk; 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Helen Goh

August 26, 2022

Serve these potato farls alongside soup.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourMakes:4

A farl in Gaelic means one-fourth, and here refers to a quarter of a flatbread made from mashed potatoes. Irish superstition has it that baked goods, including soda bread, must be marked with a cross to bless them and "to let the devils out". A triangle of this tender, supple bread makes a lovely accompaniment to soup. Once cooked, the flatbreads freeze well, so just double the recipe for a rainy day.

Ingredients

1 large potato (about 200g) peeled and cut into roughly 3cm cubes
170g plain flour, plus extra for kneading
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper*
50g unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
2 tbsp finely chopped chives* (or 2 spring onions, finely sliced)
1 tbsp milk
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Method

1. Place the diced potato in a small saucepan, cover by a few centimetres of water, then place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan and place over low heat for a minute or so, shaking the pan to dry them out a little. Mash the potatoes until smooth using a fork or, even better, a potato ricer.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C fan-forced (220C conventional) and line an oven tray with baking paper.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, then add a few twists of black pepper*. Add the butter, tossing through the flour mix and rubbing the cubes between your thumb and pads of your fingers until they are barely visible.
4. When the potato has been mashed, add it to the flour mix, along with the chives* (or spring onion). Mix with a fork and add the milk to bring together into a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very gently and briefly to form a ball.
5. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough ball out to a circle, about 20cm. Cut into quarters and transfer to the lined baking tray, spacing them a few centimetres apart. Brush the tops of the farls with the beaten egg yolk, then place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes, until golden brown and risen. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before serving.
*Tip: Omit the chives and black pepper for a sweet version that's served with butter and jam.
Note: The "baked" in the title refers not to the baking of the potatoes (which are boiled and mashed), but to the cooking of the flatbread, which is more commonly pan-fried.