When we visited my son in Ireland, we stayed several nights at the Castle Lodge Bed and Breakfast in Kilkenny. The hostess made us a traditional Irish breakfast every morning, which included blood sausage, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, English-style baked beans, Irish back bacon, white pudding sausages, soda bread, sautéed mushrooms, and potato farls. For me, that’s a lot to eat for breakfast. I felt guilty not trying the blood sausage, which she was so proud of, but fell in love with her potato farls.
Potato farls are made with mashed potatoes, flour, and other flavorings. Our hostess had her own recipe, adding horseradish, Dijon mustard, and fresh chives and dill from her garden. She explained to us that she made a dough with mashed potatoes, rolled it into a circle, and then cut it into four pieces, much like we do pizza. In Irish “farl” means “fourth.” She put the potato triangles into a frying pan with a bit of butter and fried them until they were golden brown. She reminisced that her mother and grandmother made potato farls as a way of using up leftover mashed potatoes.
Meeting her was bittersweet, despite her very charming and attentive manner. She shared that she and her husband used to operate Castle Lodge together, but he passed away during Covid. We stayed at Castle Lodge in 2021. Her husband didn’t have Covid, but rather had some digestive issues; and his doctor hospitalized him. Our hostess couldn’t visit him or get any information about his condition, and eventually he passed. It was heartbreaking.
It seems she has sold the Castle Lodge to another operator. I am sharing my version of Potato Farls in honor of our lovely hostess. Below is a photo of one of the breakfasts she served. I think of her often and hope she is well.
Castle Lodge Style Irish Potato Cakes also known as Potato Farls
Makes 8 servings
Although potato farls are cut into fourths, I have cut mine into eighths. When placed in an airtight container, these will keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into equal-size pieces
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
⅛ cup fresh chives, minced
⅛ cup fresh dill, minced
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter for frying
In a heavy saucepan, place potatoes and salt with just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. To test potatoes, pierce with a sharp knife. Potatoes should be soft when ready to mash. Drain. Return potatoes to the saucepan, add butter, and mash with a potato masher.
Add flour, garlic, horseradish, mustard, chives, dill, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly until you form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough into an 8-inch circle about 1-inch thick. Cut dough into 8 triangles.
In a large skillet, melt butter over a medium-high heat. Using a spatula, transfer potato cake triangles to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy.
What potatoes are best for mashing: Starchy potatoes, like russets or Yukon golds, are high in starch and low in moisture. The cells in starchy potatoes separate easily during the cooking process. When cooked, they have a glistening appearance and a dry, fluffy texture. They are good to use when baking or mashing potatoes or for French fries. Starchy potatoes also have a low-sugar content, so they do not brown excessively if deep-fried.
Tips on selecting potatoes: Select firm, smooth, clean potatoes that have few eyes and good color. Potatoes should be blemish-free. Russets should have a net-like textured skin, oval shape, and brown color. Irregularly-shaped potatoes produce more waste when peeled. Do not buy potatoes with wrinkled or wilted skin, sprouts, or cut surfaces. Avoid potatoes with soft, dark spots.
Tips on storing potatoes: Potatoes will keep up to 2 weeks when stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place. Prolonged exposure to light will turn potatoes green. Green potatoes contain solanine, which has a bitter flavor and can be toxic if eaten in large quantities. When stored at temperatures below 40 degrees F, potatoes become sweeter.
Carol Ann
Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved Carol Ann Kates
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