Lancashire Potato Cakes

Lancashire Potato Cakes

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes + waiting

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ready In: 40 mins
+ waiting

ingredients
4 medium-sized - potatoes

4 oz - butter

up to ½ cup - milk

4 oz - self-raising flour (self-rising flour)

  - salt and pepper

directions
  1. Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces of roughly equal size (A medium-sized potato is usually cut into about 6 pieces). Rinse the potatoes to remove any surface starch. Now place them in a large pan with sufficient salted water to cover the potatoes. Bring the water to the boil then turn down the heat and cover the pan so that it continues to boil gently.
  2. Cooking time can vary depending upon the type of potato and the texture. Generally, however, somewhere between 15 - 20 minutes is sufficient. When you think that the potatoes are close to being cooked, pierce one or two of them with a fork. If the fork penetrates easily with little resistance, the potatoes are cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and drain off the water. Add half the butter (2oz - 50g) and, using a potato masher, begin to break up and mash the potatoes. Add milk (or cream if you want to be decadent) until the texture is soft and light.
  3. Allow the potatoes to cool then mix them in a large bowl with the remaining 2oz (55g) of butter and the self-raising flour (self-rising flour) until a soft dough is formed (you can add a small amount of milk if necessary to help form a pliable dough). Season with salt and pepper and roll the dough into a sausage shape about 3" (7.5cm) in diameter, then cut it into slices about ½" (1cm) wide.
  4. Using just a little duck fat (or oil) fry these cakes over a medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side until they are lightly browned. Serve hot with a little butter on top, or with bacon and eggs.