Aunt Kitty lived in Nenagh, Co Tipperary. When I was in my early 20's I went over to stay with her, She was a lovely, warm bustley kind of woman you couldn't help but like. She seemed to be "Mam" to everyone who knew her, she would often go off to help a local girl with a new baby, or to take hot meals to some of the elderly in her street.  When she wasn;t involved helping the locals she was cooking or sitting in her chair by the range, knitting while listening to the radio.

Well, as is the tradition in Ireland,.soon after I arrived I was taken out by my cousins and uncle to sample some traditional Irish hospitality. Nenagh has 28 plus pubs and the following morning I felt as though I had visited every one..I don't know how much I drank that night, as I always seemed to have a full glass of Whisky or Murphy's stout (my poison of choice) in my hand. I  was also told they opened the Poteen when we got back home, but I had no memory of that :)

Kitty swore" Farls" were a morning cure for a hangover, and when she saw the state of me the following morning she set to work cooking on the range. "The mash will help soak up the drink" she said as she put a full Irish breakfast in front of me. I had never experienced a full Irish breakfast until that morning, and even eating a quarter of it seemed a daunting prospect, as I was fairly sure I was die from my hangover while Kitty cheerfully busied herself making tea and slicing potato bread ready to toast. However with the aid of lots of will power and determination not to refuse Kitty's food, I did manage to eat it all and surprisingly felt much better !!  Sadly we lost Kitty to breast cancer a few years ago, but I always remember her when we eat Farls   

Ingredients

Fresh cooked or leftover mash

Plain Flour

Cooking Method

Knead the mash until it becomes like a soft dough.

Add about a third of it's volume in plain flour.

Knead again to combine. It will become easier as the flour is incorporated.

Roll out into a circle about 1.5cms thick and place in a hot griddle pan or a lightly oiled frying pan.

Cut a deep cross in it to divide in four.

Bake for three or four minutes

Flip over to do the other side.

Remove to a cooling rack and then serve them warm with butter, or add them to a traditional Irish breakfast

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