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Potato Farls

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description Potato Farls Overview

Potato farls are an Irish griddle bread made by combining mashed potato with flour and usually butter or salt, then rolling or shaping the mixture and cooking it on a hot surface. The dough is traditionally divided into a round and cut into four quarters, which gives the food its characteristic shape. Potato farls are especially associated with Ulster and are commonly served as part of a cooked breakfast or with other savory foods.

help Potato Farls FAQ

What's the difference between potato farls and boxty?

Both are Irish potato griddle breads, but potato farls are made from already-cooked mashed potato mixed with flour, while boxty uses raw grated potato, often with buttermilk, giving it a different texture. Boxty can be cooked as pancakes, loaves, or boiled dumplings; farls are always the flat quartered rounds. Farls are the quicker of the two, typically made with leftover mash.

Are potato farls part of an Ulster fry?

Yes, potato farls (along with soda bread farls) are a defining component of the Ulster fry, the famous Northern Irish breakfast that also includes bacon, sausage, eggs, black pudding, and fried tomato. The farls are usually fried in butter or fat until crisp and golden on both sides. Their connection to Ulster breakfast culture is a big reason for their fame.

Why are they called 'farls'?

The word comes from the Scottish 'fardel,' meaning a fourth or quarter. The dough is traditionally rolled into a round, scored, and divided into four wedges before cooking on the griddle. The same naming applies to the soda bread farls served alongside them.

How should I store and reheat potato farls?

Fresh farls keep a few days refrigerated and freeze well; most home cooks make a batch from leftover mash and freeze the quarters. To serve, pan-fry them in a little butter over medium heat until browned and heated through. They also toast acceptably, but pan-frying restores the crisp exterior.

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