Bord Bia’s National Potato Day 2020 will take place tomorrow, Friday October 2. The annual celebration honours one of Ireland’s favourite foods, the versatile and delicious potato.
As part of this year’s #NationalPotatoDay campaign, Bord Bia will share a series of potato recipes and kitchen skill videos on its social media channels, along with simple and easy-to-prepare potato recipes on BordBia.ie
“This year we want to show people that potatoes are easy, and healthier to prepare with their skins left on, as well as quick to cook once chopped into smaller pieces," said Lorcan Bourke, Bord Bia's fresh produce and potato manager. "We’ll be sharing more potato tips, skills, and recipes in the lead up to National Potato Day and we are encouraging people to join in and cook a delicious potato dish on October 2.”
You can join the conversation online @bordbia and celebrate #NationalPotatoDay by trying one of these delicious recipes.
Gnocchi with spinach and roasted tomatoes
Serves: four
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
3 floury potatoes (eg, Roosters ) (approximately 500g )
70g fresh spinach
3 tablesp ricotta
170g Parmesan cheese, grated
200g flour
2 eggs
A little grated nutmeg
400g cherry tomatoes, roasted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Peel the potatoes and cut them into equal-sized pieces. Boil them in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, drain, and allow to dry for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, blanch the spinach briefly in boiling, salted water, place in a sieve, and press all the moisture out with the back of a spoon. Finely chop the spinach and reserve the boiling water for the gnocchi.
Drain the ricotta well. Grate the Parmesan cheese.
Mash the potatoes into a puree and mix in the ricotta, flour, egg and 60g of the Parmesan cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix everything together and turn the dough out onto a worktop dusted with flour. Knead it carefully until smooth. Add some extra flour if the dough is too sticky.
Roll into small balls and place them in a bowl covered with plastic film. Use a fork to flatten the balls slightly. Put the bowl in the freezer until needed.
Just before serving, boil them in plenty of salted water. The gnocchi are ready when they rise to the surface.
Serve with roasted cherry tomatoes and the remaining Parmesan cheese.
White pizza with potatoes
Serves: four
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2-3 floury potatoes (eg, Rooster ) for steaming/baking (approximately 400g )
2 balls of mozzarella cheese
Half an onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 pizza dough
2 tablesp of fresh cream
Some small pitted olives
1 teasp of garlic powder
30g of Parmesan cheese, shavings
1 handful of rocket
1 teasp rapeseed or olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7, 220°C (425°F ).
Start by draining the mozzarella, then slicing/shredding it before draining again, otherwise your pizza will be soggy.
Using a mandoline slicer, cut the potatoes and onion into very thin slices, as if making crisps.
Put the potato in cold water.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the potato slices to it, cook for two minutes and drain well.
Lightly oil your pizza dish. Roll out the pizza dough and place it on the dish.
Spread the dough with fresh cream. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
Then arrange the onions, potatoes, mozzarella, and olives. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes.
After 10 minutes of cooking time, check that the mozzarella has not released any water and if this is the case, remove it by gently tipping the pizza.
When the pizza is ready, take it out of the oven.
Add a few shavings of Parmesan cheese and fresh rocket. Finish with a drizzle of oil.
Sri Lankan beef and potato curry
Serves: four
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
3 medium floury potatoes (eg, Rooster ) (approximately 600g )
Rapeseed or olive oil
1 large white onion, peeled and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
450g lean braising beef, diced
2 green chillis, sliced (more if you like it hotter )
1 tin of light coconut milk (400ml )
A large handful of baby spinach leaves
A squeeze of lemon juice
A handful of coriander leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the spice mix:
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
12 fresh curry leaves
1 teasp turmeric
2 teasp ground cumin seed
½ teasp chilli powder
Method
Heat the oil in a heavy pan with a lid.
Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and curry leaves and cook gently for a minute.
Add the remaining spices and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, season well with salt and pepper and cook for six to seven minutes. Add the beef and stir well. Add the chillis.
Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil, cover with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes. Cut the potatoes into 2cm cubes and add them to the pan after 20 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the spinach leaves and lemon juice and adjust the seasoning.
Serve with the coriander sprinkled over and a pile of warm chapatis.
