Boxty-Irish Potato Pancakes

What a great start in the morning to cook the potato pancakes since St. Patrick's Day is coming up very soon!

I had done the experiment of ideal what the irish potato pancakes would taste like since I grew up by eating polish potato pancakes- my favorite due of my grandmother and mother's cookings.

Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancakes that contains a mixture of mashed and grated potatoes, resulting in a unique (very creamy) texture that's part pancake, part hash brown. You can create any toppings -smoked salmons, creme fraiche or any others on that pancakes.

2 pounds (3 to 4 large) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled

3/4 cup whole milk

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning the potatoes before cooking

1 large egg

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

*If you only have salted butter in your fridge, that's fine to substitute it for the unsalted but reduce the amount of salt by no seasoning the potatoes before cooking and mashed potatoes.*

Chop half of the potatoes into large dice, place in a medium saucepan, salt generously, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer potatoes uncovered until fork tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, return potatoes to the pot, add 1/4 cup of the milk, and mash until the potatoes are smooth; set aside.

Meanwhile, grate the remaining potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or food processor. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and place in a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl until the mashed potatoes are ready.

With a plastic spatula, press the grated potatoes against the sides and bottom of the strainer to remove any liquid. Add the grated potatoes to the mashed potatoes (no need to stir through).

Place egg, remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add potatoes and stir until evenly incorporated.

Heat the large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it: If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use; if it evaporates instantly, the pan is too hot.

Once the pan is ready, add enough butter to lightly coat the bottom when melted. Drop 3 dollops (about 1/4 cup each) of the batter into the pan and spread each to about 1/4 inch thick. Cook until the pancake bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes more. Place on a baking sheet and set in the oven to keep warm (200 degree F). Repeat with remaining butter and batter. Serve warm.

It tastes so good with sour cream YUM!