Rösti

About This Recipe

Rösti originated as a Bernese farmers' breakfast—grated raw or parboiled potatoes shaped into a flat cake and fried until golden in lard or butter. Over time it spread across German-speaking Switzerland (Deutschschweiz) and became a defining symbol of Swiss German cultural identity, so much so that the cultural divide between French- and German-speaking Switzerland is jokingly called the Röstigraben (rösti ditch). Today rösti appears on the menu of virtually every Swiss restaurant, served as a side dish, a base for fried eggs, or topped with cheese and ham for a complete meal.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 600 gwaxy or all-purpose potatoes (e.g. Desiree or Yukon Gold)
• 50 gclarified butter or ghee
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1/2 tspwhite pepper
• 1 pinchfreshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Parboil the potatoes

   Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes—they should be parcooked but firm (a knife should meet some resistance). Drain and leave to cool completely, ideally overnight in the refrigerator.

2. 2

   Grate the potatoes

   Peel the cooled potatoes and grate them coarsely using a box grater. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Gently toss with your hands to distribute the seasoning—do not squeeze out the moisture.

3. 3

   Heat the pan

   Heat 30 g of clarified butter in a 22–24 cm non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron pan over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.

4. 4

   Form and press the rösti

   Add the grated potato to the pan and spread it into an even layer. Using a spatula, press it firmly into a compact disc shape. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook undisturbed for 10–12 minutes until the underside is deep golden-brown.

5. 5

   Flip and finish

   Place a large plate over the pan and carefully invert the rösti onto the plate. Add the remaining butter to the pan, then slide the rösti back in, golden-side up. Cook for a further 8–10 minutes until the second side is equally golden and crispy. Slide onto a board, cut into wedges, and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Bernese rösti: mix in 100 g of diced smoked bacon and a sliced onion.

• •

  Cheese rösti: sprinkle 80 g grated Gruyère over the rösti in the last 3 minutes of cooking and cover to melt.

• •

  Top a finished rösti with a fried egg and smoked salmon for a luxurious brunch.

Storage

Rösti is best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 1 day and re-crisped in a hot pan with a little butter. Not suitable for freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions