Rosti is a Swiss dish made mainly with potato, rather like a fritter. It was originally a breakfast dish eaten by farmers in the Bern area, but is so versatile it's popularity spread world wide.
After my Thanksgiving version I was reminded of my vegetable version and decided to make that next. Rostis are very 'forgiving', rather like a quiche. You see what is in the fridge and go from there. You can make a mushroom sauce, a lentil puree sauce, or a cheese sauce. Seriously, google Rosti potatoes, click on images and you will be flooded with ideas.
I prefer to make 1 large one rather than many small ones like pancakes. I just take the mixture, put it all in a prepared frypan, cook one side, layer a plate of the same diameter (eating side down) on top of the 'cake' and holding both the pan and the plate against the Rosti, flip. Now slide the half cooked potato pancake back into the pan. Cook the other side and enjoy.
MIXED VEGETABLE ROSTI
- a small amount of oil for frying
- 1 cup of carrot, cut into matchstick sized strips
- 1 cup yellow squash, cut into matchstick sized strips
- 1 cup zucchini, cut into matchstick sized strips
- 1/2 cup shallot, diced
- 2 large (about 1 1/4 lbs) potato, grated
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- sauce of your choosing
- a 10oz pkg. fresh spinach, cleaned
- 1 recipe of Lentil Puree
LENTIL PUREE
In a medium pan heat a titch of oil, add 1/2 cup diced shallot and sauce til tender. Add 1/2 cup red lentils, 1 bay leaf and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Remove bay leaf and drain. Mash lentils to make a thick puree. Cool.
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large pan, saute veggies for about 7 minutes, until tender
- In a bowl, mix together veggies, grated potato, lentil puree, thyme, salt & pepper and blend.
- Heat a large fry pan with a TBL oil. Smooth out your potato mixture and cook one side until golden.
- Cover with an inverted plate, invert Rosti onto the plate and slide back into the pan. (you may need a titch more oil.
- Cook the other side.
Now you can be creative. What kind of sauce do you want on this? Carrot? Cheese? Mushroom? And do you want to add a sprinkle of cheese or some cooked spinach. Seriously, look in the frig and go for it.