The most popular version of the dish consists of finely grated raw potato and flour. The grated potato may be strained to remove most of the starch and water but this is not necessary. The mixture is fried on a griddle pan for a few minutes on each side, similar to a normal pancake. The most noticeable difference between boxty and other fried potato dishes is its smooth, fine-grained consistency.
An old Irish rhyme is: "Boxty on the griddle; boxty on the pan. If you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man!"[1]
As the interest in Irish cuisine has increased, so the popularity of boxty has risen. It is not unusual to see boxty on the menus of restaurants outside the areas with which it is traditionally associated. Boxty may be bought in shops and supermarkets either in the dumpling form or ready-cooked as pancakes.[2]
Method of preparation
Boxty, in a contemporary presentation served wrapped around beef and with courgettes and sauce
Boxty can be made several ways. When baked in a pan it is sometimes called "boxty bread". Potatoes are grated over cheesecloth and excess water is allowed to drain. It takes around half an hour for the starch to separate and sink to the bottom of the potato liquid. Meanwhile, the grated potatoes are covered with mashed potatoes and when ready, the starch is distributed evenly over the potato mixture. The potato mixture is combined and sprinkled with flour, salt, pepper and melted butter or bacon fat. This "dough" is kneaded, shaped into cakes and scored with a cross so they divide into farls when baked.[3]
Another method to make boxty is pan-fried like a griddle-cake. It is made the same way as boxty bread with the addition of enough milk to achieve a batter consistency. Some recipes also add egg yolk or baking soda. It is best to allow the pan boxty to cool and reheat before serving.[4] The finished pancakes can be served with honey, butter or sprinkled with sugar.[3] They can also be filled with vegetables, meat or cheese.[5]
Boxty dough can also be boiled like dumplings. This type of boxty is known as "boiled boxty" and is a traditional dish around Halloween time in the north west of Ireland, especially the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim and Donegal.[6] Preparation of the dough requires squeezing excess moisture from the grated potato and combining with mashed potatoes and flour and seasoning with salt. The dough is formed into round dumplings known as "hurleys".[6] The hurleys are dropped into a pot of boiling water and boiled for over half an hour, then removed and stored for later. When ready to be eaten, the hurleys are sliced and the slices are pan-fried in butter.[4]
Modern variations can include currants and raisins, or be served with cornflour sauce like steamed pudding.[7]
The traditional preparation known from 1854 Dublin University Magazine was made by mixing potato with either flour or oatmeal and adding animal fat or butter to form a cake. Potato graters were made from tin cans. With the addition of egg yolk, butter and milk, it is possible to roll the dough to 5/8 of an inch thick for cooking on a griddle. Boxty was most popular served with a smear of butter for tea but was also eaten for breakfast.[8]
St. Brigid's Day
In Ireland, St. Brigid is the patron saint of dairy and she is associated with milk, butter, ale, cheese and bacon. The tradition of St. Brigid may have roots in Ireland's pagan history and the pre-Christian "White Goddess" of Imbolc. Boxty is served for St Brigid's Day with other traditional foods like cross-shaped oat bread and Bride bannocks.[8]
Etymology
Likely Irish, possibly from the Irish arán bocht tí meaning "poor house bread"[9] or bácús meaning "bakehouse".
