Sweet Potato Pancakes with Feta, Bacon and Avocado Recipe

St. Patrick’s Day is actually a religious celebration, honoring the death of the patron Saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. Traditional celebrations include parades, festivals and church services. Like many other holidays and celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day has become a part of U.S. culture and is celebrated by many who aren’t even Irish or religious. There are even annual celebrations in Japan, Russia and South Korea!

The popular beverage on St. Patty’s Day is of course beer. The color green has long been associated with Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day and so in addition to wearing green (you don’t want to get pinched!) celebrations often include green beer.

When people think of Irish food, the most common dish that comes to mind is corned beef and cabbage, but potato dishes are extremely popular in Irish cuisine as well. They have shepherd’s pie, boxty (a potato pancake), champ (mashed potatoes with scallions) and colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage).

Sometimes I make potato pancakes with leftover mashed potatoes and while I do love them, they sometimes need to be dressed up a little bit with sauces and herbs. I’ve come up with a non-traditional, but extremely delicious recipe for a Sweet Potato Pancake, inspired by Irish cuisine. You can make this recipe on March 17th and serve with corned beef and cabbage and green beer if you want to get really festive!