← Nouns Cooking · British & Irish

Ingredients

• 500 g floury potatoes (Maris Piper or similar), peeled and cut into chunks
• 25 g butter, plus extra to serve
• 125 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp Baking powder
• ½ tsp Salt

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 min until tender. Drain well and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.
2. Mash until completely smooth with the butter and salt while still warm. Sift over the flour and baking powder and work in with your hands to a soft dough; do not overwork it.
3. On a well-floured surface, pat or roll the dough into a circle about 23 cm across and 1 cm thick. Cut into four quarters (farls).
4. Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle over medium heat with no oil. Cook the farls for 4–5 min per side until golden-brown in patches and cooked through.
5. Eat hot with butter, or cool and fry later in bacon fat as part of a cooked breakfast.

Tips

• Leftover mash works perfectly, as long as it is not too wet; use about 400 g.
• They keep for 2 days wrapped in the fridge and freeze well. The flour contains gluten.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food BBC Good Food