Potato Rösti

Rösti is a simple and delicious potato dish from Swiss cuisine, where grated potatoes are fried in a pan. It is crispy on the outside and melting soft inside. There are no eggs in this recipe, the starch alone of the potato, is enough to bind them together. Rösti in theory might sound simple but it can be tricky to get just right. I recommend you watch the video on how this recipe is made before you make it to ensure success. It will be very helpful to see the technique!

The word Rösti comes from the term “to roast something”.  You only need three ingredients, but there are endless options for customization. Naturally gluten-free and versatile, this is an inexpensive dish to make for the whole family.

A good potato Rösti, is the one where you can see distinct strands of crisped and browned potatoes. Once you follow a few simple tips, this potato rösti will be easy to make.

The potatoes

Take a bunch of Yukon Gold potatoes – don’t take baking potato for this. Yukon gold potatoes are waxy with thin smooth skin, and they hold up well when boiled or baked and give the finished Rösti a crunchier texture. There are different opinions about its preparation. Some only make them with raw potatoes, some with cooked potatoes or some with both. I think it cooks up better if potatoes are partially cooked before you shred them , so that is what I follow (courtesy of Serious Eats). After parboiling, the potatoes should be drained and cooled in the refrigerator for at least eight hours and up to three days: Doing so gelatinizes the starch and allows the potatoes to be grated without falling apart. I take one average (200 – 225 g) potato per person.

Seasoning

Traditionally a Swiss rösti is just made from potato, salt, and pepper and nothing else. I add roasted cumin powder. Sometimes I also add other crunchy vegetables like grated cabbage and parsnip. Just remember that the potato portion should be twice as much as vegetables.

Fat

You’ll need fat for potatoes to turn crispy. I prefer to cook rösti in desi ghee. As an alternative, you can use a combination of butter and vegetable oil, however, ghee makes a huge difference with a more buttery flavor.

The pan

The type of pan you use matters, too. A heavy pan, like a cast iron, would be best but I don’t have a small cast iron pan and I mostly make rösti for myself.  when I cook for 2 or three people, I still prefer to cook in a 7-8″nonstick pan. It makes flipping easier.

Now the trick to make a golden crisp rösti is to cook on medium-low heat without burning so, practice patience. When it’s ready to flip, grab a small cutting board (wrap it in aluminum foil or grease for easier sliding) for inverting and cook the other side as well.

You can serve rösti with poached egg, smoked salmon, or anything you fancy and impress the family. I like to eat with a dollop of thick yogurt, caramelized onions, salad, and avocado slices. It’s very delicious.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe! Let me know in the comment what you think about this recipe and if you liked it.

Bringing this Potato rösti to Angie’s Linky party @ Fiesta Friday.