Gateshead Bacon Floddies

This Tyneside breakfast special is traditionally cooked in bacon fat and served with eggs and sausages. A kind of potato cake, floodies are said to have originated with canal workers, who cooked them on shovels over a fire. They should be served crisp and golden brown. Taken from The Best of English Food and Cooking. Yum!

• Ready In: 18 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 8-12 pancakes

Ingredients

• 9  ounces baking potatoes, weighed after peeling
• 1  large onion
• 6  ounces bacon, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup self rising flour
• 2  eggs
•  oil, for frying
•  salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Grate the potatoes onto a clean dish cloth, then gather up the edges to make a pouch. Squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.
2. Grate or finely chop the onion into a large bowl and add the potatoes, chopped bacon, flour and seasonings. Mix well.
3. Beat the eggs and stir into the potato mixture. Heat some oil in a large frying pan. Add heaping tablespoons of the potato mixture and flatten them to make thin pancakes. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Lift out, drain on paper towels and serve.