For a full-on Irish breakfast feast, try honey buckwheat soda bread. Also in farl form! It’s one of the quickest bread recipes on the blog, ready in around 50 minutes and can be modified to gluten free.
Irish potato farls
Being a language geek, I always have to know the meaning of unfamiliar words. You might already know this about me if you’re an avid Vikalinka follower. So the first thing I Googled when I recently came across potato farls was: What does ‘farl’ mean? Well, it literally means ‘4 parts’ in Gaelic. A potato farl or a soda farl is characterised by a deep cross cut into the round of bread, dividing it into clear quarters. This is either to let the fairies out or to bless the loaf, depending on your beliefs. It also makes it very easy to pull apart and share in hunks. Potato farls, potato cakes, or potato bread as it is known in various regions, is a thrifty delight. Made from mashed potato and flour, with a little baking soda, baking powder and seasoning, they’re a quick and simple solution to using up leftover mash and a speedy alternative to baking regular bread. Yes, you can use leftover mashed potato in this recipe, but I like to make a batch especially for super fluffy-textured, fresh flatbreads.
Serving suggestions
Farls are traditionally a component of a full Irish breakfast or an Ulster fry (a Northern Irish breakfast). But when they taste so good, why restrict them? These delicious little potato flatbreads go with absolutely any egg-based breakfast recipes, no matter the nationality! For example, a French omelette, shakshuka, or my Spanish-inspired breakfast casserole with sausage, chorizo and egg are all worthy partners. Or quite simply, a poached egg with tomatoes and wilted spinach. My eggs benedict recipe offers handy tips for the perfect poached egg. Besides breakfast, they make for a tasty, hot snack just slathered in butter. Or as part of a main meal, they go especially well with soups like Curried Roasted Parsnip Soup and hearty stews like Irish beef stew (obvs!) or an easy chicken stew.
Storage and leftovers
Potato farls will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, fry them on the stovetop, either without or with butter this time. Or, as they are a flatbread, you can simply pop them in the toaster! Accidentally made too many? Freeze them! The slender breads can be stacked up, separated by parchment paper, and frozen for up to 3 months. And there’s no need to defrost them! When ready to use, either pan fry or toast.
Other side dishes to try
Lemon Butter Green Beans Irish Mashed Potatoes (Champ Recipe) Jacket Potato with Spicy Baked Beans and Chimuchuri Sauce Honey Garlic Roasted Parsnips
