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I make Boxty Bread once a year, on St. Patrick’s Day. Did you know that St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t come until MARCH?!?!? I couldn’t wait. Apparently, I now make this twice a year. (until I can’t wait again…)

So, what is boxty bread? It’s a bread common to Irish cuisine, and unlike the more well-known Irish Soda Bread, it uses potatoes to create a dense and moist interior and is usually made savory with Caraway. It is an un-yeasted bread that rises with baking powder. This is good in that it reduces rising time. However, it is far more time intensive than most breads because the only rest YOU get is when it goes in the oven. That said, it’s totally worth it.

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Ingredients:

• 2 pounds gold or yellow potatoes (about 7-8)
• 2 Tablespoons Irish butter (or one Tbl. salted/one Tbl. unsalted)
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons caraway
• 3 cups flour
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• butter for serving
• orange marmalade for serving

 

Preheat your oven to 375°.

Lay parchment paper on a baking sheet or you can use a baking stone that’s been preheated with your oven.

Peel your potatoes

cut 5-6 of them (1 ½ pounds) into ½” chunks and boil them in water for 10 minutes.

While they’re boiling, grate the remaining 2-3 potatoes. You can use a traditional grater or food processor with grate attachment.

Wrap them in cheesecloth

and ring out the excess moisture.

They will be damp to the touch, but no longer wet.

When your boiled potatoes are soft, drain the liquid and put them back in the pot.

Add your butter and let it melt.

Using a mixer or beater, mash those ‘taters until they’re smooth.

Combine the milk, 1 teaspoon of your salt, pepper, and caraway in a mixing bowl

add the grated potatoes

and the mashed

and mix.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt,

and mix it into the potato dough.

Time to get your hands dirty –

Knead the bread until it’s well combined, but don’t be concerned about developing gluten structure. Your goal is to have a sturdy dough to shape.

Once kneaded, flour your hands and divide the dough into four (my picture has 8 as I’m making a double batch). Make them into balls and flatten them into discs on your parchment or stone.

Make a ¼” slit in the shape of an X to keep out the evil spirits.

Bake for 35 minutes until they’re golden and firm, and then rotate them. If you’ve been using a cookie sheet, lift them with a spatula and place them directly onto the oven rack.

Bake for an additional 5-15 minutes, until they’re deeply golden. You’ll know they’re done by inserting a metal skewer or knife into the center of your loaf and having it come out dry.

These are absolutely best served hot. The crunchy crust will disappear once cooled. If you need to make them in advance, just reheat in the oven before serving.

Cut them into quarters. Butter. Orange marmalade. Happy (not quite) St. Patrick’s Day.

 

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