Killer’s Potato Flatbread with Garlic Butter, Cheese and Baby Kale

Mixing potato with flour makes for a chewy and oh-so-comforting dough (think Italian gnocchi or Scottish tattie scones). In Ireland, that results in the potato farl, a thick, savory pancake of sorts that manages to be light and airy, and pairs well with… well, just about anything. Poached eggs, smoked fish, salty ham, even a simple slathering of butter — they’re all wonderful.

As food journalist Hugh Arnold noted in "The Irish Times", the Irish “excel at potatoes.” No wonder, then, that when we asked Greg Spring, founder and creative director of Hen’s Teeth Dublin, to create a unique recipe fit for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, he landed on this cheesy potato farl something delicious that’s also quick and easy to prepare for a flurry of guests.

Sidenote: If you’re not familiar with Hen’s Teeth, it’s a café, store, gallery and creative studio in Dublin where a love for great food, art, music and culture all come together. There, head chef Killian “Killer” Walsh (formerly of the Michelin-starred L’Enclume and Pied à Terre) creates contemporary Irish food with influences from his time spent in kitchens around the globe.


Like the classic potato farl, Killian’s recipe uses grated potato and flour. It includes buttermilk for an extra-creamy texture, and is topped with wild garlic butter, baby kale, smoked scamorza and local Irish cheddar before getting fired in the oven. Killian recommends Coolattin cheddar, a local, clover-fed cow’s cheese from West Wicklow, but you can use your favorite aged cheddar if none is available near you. The garlicky butter, crisp kale, and melty cheese work together to create layers of irresistible flavor and texture. The resulting flatbreads are larger than a dough ball but smaller than a pizza, making them an ideal party food. These require no resting or fermentation, so they can be whipped up day-of and served to hungry guests within hours.

Potato flatbreads covered with garlic butter, cheese and kale on a steel pizza peel

Note

Killian’s toppings are delicious suggestions, but feel free to swap them out for ingredients of your own choosing. These flatbreads are extremely versatile and will pair well with other cheeses, veggies, and meats.