Enjoy the perfect “Swiss Rösti”

A true Swiss national dish! Roasted golden brown potatoes, with a crispy crust Rösti are served steaming hot on the plate. The word Rösti comes from the term "to roast a little". Rösti, which we consider to be a typical Swiss dish, is a relatively new culinary invention as the potato didn't find its way to Europe from South America until the beginning of the 16th century. Boiled potatoes fried in fat became the typical farmer's breakfast in German-speaking Switzerland at the beginning of the 19th century and in many places replaced the traditional cereal porridge. Starting from the rural areas of Zurich, the down-to-earth first meal of the day spread southwards towards the Alpine region and towards Bern, where the dish was then named Rösti. The Rösti continued its triumphal march across the Bern region south-west towards the French-speaking part of Switzerland and replaced the morning soup that is common there. The name of the dish however remained untranslated: Rösti.

Hard working farmers needed a hearty breakfast to give them the energy for the day. In terms of its composition (carbohydrates and fat), the Rösti provided the right basis. The breakfast Rösti (aka ‘hash browns’) later became a main meal, which was mainly served in the evening. So versatile and inexpensive, the potato dish quickly found widespread use in German-speaking Switzerland. Rösti has also been popular and in demand as a side dish for decades. The original: golden brown and crispy fried, the Rösti tastes great as a main meal, i.e. with a fried egg and a slice of ‘Fleischkäse’, or as a side dish for example to ‘Zürcher Geschnetzeltes’ or ‘Leberli’.

Unless you have time to boil, peel and grate the potatoes, and finding the right kind of potatoes to make your Rösti at home, at Swiss House Shop you find the easy to prepare Rösti from Bischofszell in Switzerland. On offer are the ‘Classic’ – plain, the ‘Berner’ – smoked bacon, and the ‘Käse’ – cheese Rösti. Preparation made easy: Required is a non-stick skillet (26-28cm diameter, ideally with side walls not too high), a wooden spatula and a plate or lid for the ‘flipping’ of the Rösti. Just simply pour the content of the package in the skillet at medium to high temperature without adding any oils or fats. With the spatula break up the Rösti and turn for 1-2 minutes until the grated potatoes are loosened up from the vacuum pack they were in. With the spatula flatten the potatoes and around the edges make a round compact cake. After frying the Rösti for 5-7 minutes flip them. We recommend using a flat turning lid or plate for this process (for the more adventurous or master chefs the Rösti can also be flipped in the air – caution is recommended as the potatoes are piping hot!). Another 5-7 minutes and your Rösti are ready to serve! As easy as 1-2-3… Serve hot and enjoy! For additional questions or recipes feel free to contact your Swiss House Shop team.