Making Pratie Cakes - Ireland Unit Study
I've always said that cooking can be a real good way to extend a lesson or unit study and really get the kids involved. This recipe is from Ireland.
Pratie Cakes (Irish)
(Prata is the Irish word for potato.) Recipes, songs, and writings often refer to potatoes as “praties.” One popular ballad has a line, “And I met her in the garden where the praties grow.” Pratie cakes were known by several names including Stampy, Boxty, and Parley. Almost all cooks have their own way of preparing Pratie cakes; their directions “a bit more here and there” won’t matter.
4 potatoes
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. salt
1 c. flour (approx.)
Cook the potatoes, mash, keepting them as dry as possible; add butter and salt. Add a small amount of flour and knead gently each time with hands, until most of the flour is used. If a nece smooth elastic dough forms, do not knead anymore and do not add any more flour. Roll out on a floured board to a circle about ¼” thick. Cut into triangles or cirles. Sprinkle the dough and the griddle lightly with flour. Bake on a medium hot griddle about 5 - 10 minutes on each side or until brown.
Yield: six to eight cakes.
