Potato Cakes

Recipe by Theresa Harney

When I was a child I would spend a lot of time with my grandmother who had a dairy farm in Co Wicklow. She and her husband grew as much produce as was possible and produced their own bacon/pork and beef.

One of the fondest memories I have was the cooking of the left over potatoes from dinner into potato cakes for supper and sometimes Granny, or 'Nanny' as we all called her, would fry them for us for dinner as she knew we loved them so much.

This recipe was one of her favourites and she passed it on to me. I cook them for my children and husband and the plate is always clear when dinner or supper is finished in my house like it was in nanny's house.

Ingredients

680 g or1 1/2 lbs cooked cold mashed potatoes

227g or 1/2lb sausage meat or sausages-peeled

1 medium onion or bunch of chives chopped or 4 scallions chopped

bunch of fresh parsley chopped or 1 tsp dried parsley

1tsp of mixed herbs if available

oil for frying

Method

Place the cooked cold mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Add the sausage meat or peeled sausages to the potatoes; the chopped onion or chopped chives or chopped scallions; the chopped parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley; 1/2tsp of dried mixed herbs if available.
Mix all ingredients until they are evenly distributed.
On a clean surface evenly divide the mixture into equal size balls. If cooking for children make the portions smaller in size. Pat the mixture together until firm and in a circle about 3cm or 1inch thick or if you have a scone cutter place the mixture in the cutter and press it down to bind it together then using a knife loosen the cake around the edges of the cutter. Place to one side and repeat until all the balls are made into circles.
Pre-heat the frying pan and coat the base of the pan with some of the oil.
Place the cakes on to a thin spatula and gently slide into the heated pan.
Cook on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. After 3 minutes use the spatula to gently lift the edges of each cake to ensure it is not sticking to the pan and also to ensure it is not burning. If sticking add a little more oil to the pan. When cakes are brown but not burned put the spatula under neat the cake and turn the cake over cook on this side for a further 3 to 5 minutes.
When cooked remove from the pan with the spatula and place on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.
Ensure there is no burned bits in the pan if so remove and put more oil in the pan heat again and cook the next batch of cakes.
Repeat until all cakes are cooked.