The Savory Irish Side Dish You Can Make With Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Irish potato cakes, also known as "potato farls," is the perfect solution if you've got leftover potatoes on hand. Potato farls are a simple recipe consisting of boiled potatoes, mashed and seasoned with salt and pepper, with butter and flour mixed in until a dough forms. The dough is rolled into a large circle, about half to one centimeter thick, and then sliced into eight even triangles. These triangles are cooked on a stovetop until golden brown and crispy on each side. If you have leftover mashed potatoes cooked the best way, consisting of butter, sour cream, milk, and other delicious ingredients, you won't need to add more butter. However, since prepared mashed potatoes have more moisture due to the extra ingredients, you'll need to use more flour to absorb the moisture and form a workable dough.

In Gaelic, the word "farls" translates to "quarter fourth." This name originated from the fact that the potato dough is traditionally made into two circles instead of one large one, and each circle is then cut into four triangles. Alternatively, you can cut the rolled-out dough into disks using a circle cookie cutter or simply shape them into a flat round shape with your hands. When cooking potato farls, you can use an electric griddle, a nonstick frying-pan, or a cast iron skillet. While you can sear them in butter, oil, or another type of fat, they will still cook perfectly without it.

Potato farls offer endless possibilities for serving. In Ireland, they're commonly served as a side dish with a traditional hearty Irish breakfast that includes a side of eggs, meats, beans, bread, cooked tomatoes, and a cup of tea. For breakfast or any time of day, you can enjoy them with fried or poached eggs on top (a circular shape might be better suited for this), a sprinkling of parsley, chives, green onion, or simply served with mustard, a dollop of sour cream, or for a protein boost enjoy with smoked salmon, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese. Potato farls would also be a great addition to dip into soup or red chili.

Feel free to get creative and add other seasonings or flavors to the base ingredients. Some delicious flavor combinations include bacon or ham with shredded cheddar cheese and scallions (serve with ranch dressing for dipping!), diced jalapeño peppers, corn kernels, and pepper jack cheese, or veggie-packed potato farls with shredded carrots, chopped broccoli, and diced onion. For an even more unique twist, try using a different type of potato such as regular sweet potatoes or Korean sweet potatoes, Japanese purple potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes.