If you like your Potato Rosti crispy instead of soggy, and deep golden instead instead of burnt, don’t skimp on the fat. If you want ultimate flavour, use clarified butter like the Swiss do instead of butter or oil – it’s super easy to make your own.
And if you want ultra ultra crispy, make small thin ones instead – they are literally potato crisp crispy!
Ingredients
1kg/ 2 lb potatoes
3/4 tsp salt , kosher/cooking salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
15g/ 1 tbsp clarified butter / ghee or normal butter , melted
Cooking:
60g/ 4 tbsp clarified butter / ghee
Method
Grate & squeeze:
- Peel then grate the potatoes using a box grater, trying to get nice long strands if you can.
- Grab handfuls of potato and squeeze out excess liquid, then place in bowl. This helps make the potato crispier (otherwise all that water has to steam out in the pan).
- Add butter, salt and pepper then toss. Don't worry if your potatoes go brown/reddy - it's still safe to eat, and turns white again when cooked.
Cook- Melt half the clarified butter in a 26cm / 10.5 (or thereabouts) non-stick pan or skillet over medium low heat. Shallow non-stick pan with sloped sides is best for easy rosti removal.
- Place the potato in pan, but do not pack down. Use rubber spatula to tidy the edges, then lightly pat down to even surface.
- Cook first side: Cook 12 minutes until underside is very golden and crispy, lifting edge with rubber spatula to check. If by 8 minutes it is not going golden, increase heat.
- TIP: Insurance policy - If you didn't use a non stick pan, slide the rubber spatular underneath all the way to the middle and run it around, to be 100% sure nothing is stuck before attempting flip.
- Flip: Cover pan with a round wooden board with a handle. Holding the handle of the board, flip quickly - and with confidence!
- Cook second side: Melt remaining clarified butter in the pan, then slide the rosti back in and cook for 12 minutes until golden crispy, and there is no resistance when a knife is inserted into the middle.
- Slide onto cutting board, cut into 4 or 6 wedges and serve immediately!
Small rosti- Use 25g / 1 1/2 tbsp clarified butter for each batch, medium heat in a non stick pan. Place potato in rounds in a skillet, around 8cm / 3 wide, 1.5 - 2cm / 2/3 thick (without patting down). Cook 5 minutes until deep golden and crispy, flip, and cook another 5 minutes until done.
To hold / keep warm
- Transfer to rack set over tray in a 120°C/250°F oven until ready to serve.