Potato farls (also potato bread or fadge) are common in Ulster, especially Northern Ireland, where they are a traditional component of the Ulster fry; 'farl' comes from a word meaning a quarter.
Warm off the griddle, a farl is soft and faintly chewy with a tender potato crumb and a thin, toasty crust. Fried in bacon fat it turns crisp and savoury at the edges, soaking up the salty drippings. Slathered with butter, it is humble Ulster comfort at its finest.
Mashed potato supplies moisture and soft starch while a minimal amount of flour provides just enough structure to hold the farl together without making it tough. Dry-griddling sets the surface and toasts the starch into a golden, flavourful crust.
Variations
Fried in bacon fat for an Ulster fry, made richer with more butter, or wrapped around a fried egg and bacon
On the Palate
Where Potato Farls sits in the Irish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
8 steps · 20 min
- 120 min
Boil floury potatoes until tender, then mash them smoothly while still warm.
- 22 min
Stir in melted butter and a good pinch of salt.
- 34 min
Work in just enough plain flour to bring it into a soft, pliable dough.
Watch outWork in the least flour that will just bring it together — every extra spoonful trades tender for tough, so stop as soon as it stops sticking to your hands.
- 43 min
Turn out onto a floured surface and pat into a round about a centimetre thick.
- 52 min
Cut the round into four equal triangular farls.
- 63 min
Heat a dry griddle or heavy pan over medium heat.
- 78 min
Cook the farls a few minutes each side until speckled golden brown.
Watch outDry-griddle over medium until each side is speckled golden-brown — no oil, so those toasty freckles are your doneness and flavor.
- 83 min
Serve hot, or fry in bacon fat as part of an Ulster fry.
