Boxty Breakfast

Ingredients

• 4potatoes, large; 2 to grate, 2 to boil
• spring onions, finely sliced
• 100 gplain flour
• 1egg white
• 150 mlbuttermilk
• 1 tspbicarbonate of soda
• 3 tbspbutter, for frying boxty and tomatoes
• 2 tbspvegetable oil, for frying
• 6cherry tomatoes
• 12bacon, rashers, to grill
• 6eggs, to fry or poach for serving

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to its lowest setting to keep food warm. Peel the potatoes. Grate 2 of them, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using a clean tea towel. Cut the remaining 2 potatoes into chunks and boil for 10–15 minutes until tender, then mash.

2. 2

   Mix the mashed potato with the grated potato, spring onions and flour until combined.

3. 3

   Whisk the egg white in a large bowl until it holds soft peaks. Fold in the buttermilk, then add the bicarbonate of soda. Fold into the potato mixture.

4. 4

   Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp butter and a little oil. Drop 3–4 spoonfuls of potato mixture into the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes on each side until golden and crusty. Keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining boxty in batches, adding more butter and oil as needed. Makes 16 crumpet-sized boxty.

5. 5

   Heat the grill to medium and grill the bacon rashers until cooked to your liking.

6. 6

   In a heavy-based pan, add a knob of butter and a little oil. Fry the cherry tomatoes for about 5 minutes until softened.

7. 7

   Fry or poach the eggs. Stack the boxty with bacon and egg, and serve the tomatoes on the side.