# Rosti issues



## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

I tried making a rosti for the first time and ended up with a great plate of homefries. I was hoping for the wonderful crispy on the outside-tender on the inside baked potato treat and instead of cooking together my sliced potatoes just sort of fell apart. I know I used a potato that didn't seem starchy enough but it completely fell apart into slices when I served it. So as far as a side dish it was ok, but not at all what I was wanting. I'm open to suggestions. Thanks in advance!


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

1 LARGE POTATO PER PERSON

cut potato int 3 or 4 pieces boil in saltwater 5 minutes then cool

Now grate course into bowl add salt & pepper

preheat 1/2 oil 1/2 butter in pan

put potatoes in pan either 1 large or you can do smaller individual

To get them crisp press while cooking, when brown on one side, turn and do the other

Serve right away as keeping warm will tend to make them soggy Good Luck


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## ski break (Dec 27, 2008)

Don't forget some shredded onions! About 1/4 pound per 1 pound of potatoes.
Garlic infused clarified butter for frying..if you like same


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

Do you remember Kimmie? She had an AMAZING recipe for roesti, or technique I should say. Roesti is all about technique. I've been using it for years and it comes out consistently awesome every time.

So, from my recipe file: 

Roesti

(Kimmie’s recipe, tested, tried and true. I used duck fat and a bit of butter after flipping)


1. Start with uncooked--unwashed--grated potato; place into a dishtowel and ring to death 

2. Melt some unsalted butter with oil in a non-stick pan, medium heat; once the foam dies down, put your potatoes in, flatten and add a few pieces of cold butter around the edge; salt and pepper to taste; 

3. Cover. Every minute or so, wipe the inside of the cover and do this for about 7 to 10 minutes; shake the pan once in a while to ensure that your potato won't stick; next, as cchiu pointed out, "Just take a thin spatula and gently raise up one edge to peek underneath after you think it's had enough time to become golden to verify..." the color; 

4. Flip it; I use my lid (which is flat) or use a plate to turn it; 

5. Brown the second side without a lid, shaking the pan once in a while to ensure that your potatoes won't stick. It should take about 5 to 10 minutes (it's hard for me to be exact because I never time this) but you will be able to judge if it's cooked or not. 

Transfer to a plate or a cutting board and make wedges with a pizza wheel.


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Ditto what Anneke said. You want to use the potatoes UNrinsed - they need the starch to stick together. Give them a decent amount of heat and time to brown, don't flip them too much - easy trap to fall into. Drain on paper towel at the end to suck up any excess fat. Salt well.


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Paul Bocuse has you rinse and wring the grated potatoes, getting rid of the starch, and then add an egg to the mixture as binder.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

I wouldn't like the taste of the egg in there. Seems strange, also, to remove the natural binder and then add a different one. I like the very potato taste they have with just potato starch binding them. But i guess it's a matter of taste and i'm no expert, i never even knew the name of what i was making, just pan fried grated potato cake. Latkes use egg, i guess, and i do like them, but they're a bit different, also crumbs added and flour too, i believe (at least the recipe i have) But that is a different taste.

I can't see boiling the potatoes first. It would sort of defeat the purpose to get the nice crispy crust that comes from slowly cooking them over the fire in the butter and letting them get crispy as they get soft outside. 

Peachcreek, It sounds like your recipe is entirely different from the others, since you speak of potato SLICES. I can see that slices would fall apart easily. I never tried it, but it sounds more like pommes anna that you were aiming for. If i remember julia child;s recipe for that, the potatoes were thinly sliced, carefully layered and cooked very well so they were nice and brown.


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## bazza (Apr 2, 2007)

The problems I found associated with rosti potato are;

1. Too much moisture in potato
2. Once grated the potato tends to oxidise very quickly 

If you par boil the potatoes first you will have a much drier vegetable, it is easier to grate and it does not oxidise. I have had very good results like this. Just mix the grated potato with plenty of melted butter, season and fry away. I dont know much about the potato varieties in the US but you need one high in starch and they should hold together nicely.

Haven't made these in ages. they are yumm.


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## bazza (Apr 2, 2007)

Oh after par boiling they need about twenty minutes to get the steam out of them and become cool enough to handle.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

By par boiling you eliminate all water from potato which is the whole idea. if they are raw and have onion in them they are potato pancakes not roti. If raw and fried they are hashed brown. Original recipe no garlic just plain old s&p.


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## bazza (Apr 2, 2007)

I agree Chef, apologies, I did not thoroughly read your earlier post.


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

It's my understanding that in roesti's country of origin there is much debade over this, and its an even split between Swiss chefs as to par-boiling the potatoes.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

_I have worked with both Swiss and French Chefs in France, they both pre blanched first. EdB. Thats what makes cooking unique.:smiles:_


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## dillbert (Jul 2, 2008)

Anneke -

you are absolutely correct. I lived on Lake Constance / Bodensee; used to row over to Switzerland. 

took the kids on a "day ski trip" though three countries - my son was really into roesti and Strammer Max. three countries, breakfast lunch dinner, three different roesti. keep in mind, SYSCO does not deliver to eateries at 2,700 meters - so those folks all had individual and by definition "authentic" approaches. they were not making it up for a food court at a fair - they were there in real time in the real place serving real food.

roesti is a variable thing - methods, prep, seasoning, etc.


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

I made rosti again. This time I lightly dusted the blanched sliced potatoes with corn starch and they worked wonderfully. Crispy on the outside, nicely cooked together on the inside.


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## blueicus (Mar 16, 2005)

Wringing dry the potatoes and adding eggs usually makes it a recipe for latkes. Also, the amount of egg added shouldn't really add much to the flavour nor make it into a potato omelette.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Very good idea!


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