Forget the potato cakes you can buy in packets in the shop, in fact, forget any potato cakes you have ever had because these are by far the most superior. Every mother has at least a couple of recipes that have been perfected over the years, and this is my mum's gem.

The fact is they are actually really easy to make, but you can go wrong very easily by using the wrong type of potatoes, going too easy on the flour or not having the patience to let them cook slowly. My personal preference is a thick potato cake of about two thirds of an inch, but some people prefer thinner. I like to slice the finished wedge through the gooey middle and seperate the two triangles, then cover each side in as much butter as you dare, a sprinkling of salt and a bit of ground pepper. All you need to add is a soft fried egg and some bacon if you have it. For the extra stodge factor (which I must say I often do veer towards for meals like this) get the baked beans out.

Oh my god it is amazing!!! Honestly, this is the sort of delight I would happily become 20 stone for and sit like a beast stuffing my face thinking "ah well, I have come this far!". I love fresh and light meals, but there are some days you have to come home and fool yourself into thinking you have not sat at a desk all day drinking tea and avoiding the dirty glare of the custard creams. On a day like this, make these potato cakes.

Mum's Amazing Potato Cakes

Makes two batches of approx 8 cakes

1 bag (weight to follow) of rooster potatoes (or another variety of floury potato), peeled and cut into equal chunks

1 and a half mugs of plain flour (excuse the measurements, when I next make them I will weigh the flour)

Salt

Boil the potatoes for approx 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Drain and leave the for a few minutes to allow the excess water to evaporate and then mash until smooth. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl or the pot the potatoes were cooked in, mix the potatoes with a mug of flour and a good sprinkling of salt. My mum recommends doing this by hand as you need to feel when the mixture holds together properly. Add the remaining flour and continue to mix well. Turn the mix out onto a floured surface and pat into a big ball. (At this point I would halve the mixture and either keep one half to cook for the next day or keep to the side until the first batch has been cooked).

With a floured rolling pin, roll out one half of the mix to your desired thickness. Form the mix into a circular shape and divide into triangles. Meanwhile, heat a heavy based frying pan to a medium/high heat with a little olive oil. When hot, add the triangles.

Heat for approx 5 minutes and turn when the underside has turned golden brown. Reduce the heat to low and cook for approximately 30-40 minutes. This will all be dependent on the thickness you have chosen and the pan you use.