recipe by Seth Matlick, photos by Stephanie Cameron
Potatoes are central to breakfast or brunch meals, whether it’s hash browns, home fries, or roasted spuds smothered in chile and cheese. Making the shakshuka reminded me of eating in Israel, and with Hanukkah just past, I couldn’t help but think of latkes. Rosti is the Swiss cousin of the latke, typically made by browning grated raw potatoes and onions in a hot skillet and then very carefully sliding them onto an inverted plate and returning to the pan without breaking up your beautiful potato cake. This easy recipe uses parcooked potatoes and a cast-iron pan in the oven to get the perfect crispy brown outer layer without the fuss of flipping. I’m affectionately referring to this rosti recipe as the lazy latke and am considering using it for my next Hanukkah party instead of slaving over the stove frying them up individually. Note: The potatoes and onion mixture can be made the day before. Allow to return to room temperature before adding to your hot pan and baking.
Rosti
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes ,peeled
- 1 yellow onion ,thinly sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Scallions and parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F and set rack to the lowest position.
- Parboil potatoes in salted water until slightly tender, about 10–15 minutes. Drain and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.
- Mix onions, kosher salt, and vinegar, and let onions soften as they sit. Once cool, coarsely grate potatoes using the large holes of a box grater or grater plate of a food processor.
- Combine potatoes and onions and season with black pepper and salt. Oil a large cast-iron frying pan or an 8-inch cake pan and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. (If using cake pan, make sure it’s thoroughly oiled and line with parchment paper.)
- Remove hot pan and add potato/onion mixture, pressing down with a spatula or large fork. The mixture should sizzle when it touches the pan. If it doesn’t, return the pan to the oven to heat up longer.
- Place on bottom rack and bake until sides and bottom are crispy and brown, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen rosti and then invert onto a cutting board, plate, or serving platter.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, scallions, and parsley to serve.
Candolin Cook is a historian, writer, editor, and former co-editor of edible New Mexico. She recently received her doctorate in history from the University of New Mexico and is working on her first book.
