Boxty

Serves 6

4 medium russet (baking) potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk, or more if necessary

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Canola oil (for frying)

1. Leave 2 of the potatoes whole, but peel a strip around the center of each. In a large saucepan, combine the 2 potatoes and cold water to cover them by several inches. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

2. Drain the potatoes, and when they are cool enough to handle, pull off the skins. Cut up the potatoes and work them through a food mill or ricer into a bowl or mash them with a fork on a plate.

3. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Have a rimmed baking sheet on hand.

4. In a food processor fitted with the shredding blade or on a box grater, grate the remaining 2 uncooked potatoes. With a wooden spoon, stir them into the mashed potatoes.

5. Beat in the salt, pepper, flour, baking powder, cup milk, and eggs. The batter should be loose enough to just drop from the spoon. Add more milk a little at a time.

6. In a large skillet, heat a thin film of oil. When it is hot, add spoonfuls of the potato batter to the pan and cook them for 3 minutes or until they are crusty and golden on the bottom. Turn and cook the other side for 3 minutes more or until the boxty are golden on that side and cooked through. Keep them warm in the hot oven.

7. Fry the remaining batter in the same way. Serve at once. Sheryl Julian