Rosti

"There are not that many foods that can claim that a pivotal historical event centered around them. But the potato can."

Guten Tag! ( Good Day in German) The above is my very first attempt to make a Rosti. It looks more like scrambled eggs and baby tomatoes actually! haha! Before teaching you how to whip up a plate of Rosti, allow me to give you a little background on the origins of Rosti.

According to Wikipedia, "often spelled Röschti in Switzerland according to the Swiss German is a Swiss dish consisting mainly of potatoes. It was originally a common breakfast eaten by farmers in the canton of Bern, but today is eaten all over Switzerland and also in many restaurants in the Western World. Many Swiss people consider rösti a national dish. "

I got to know this dish from my colleague, Jasline, and in fact i got inspired by her to start up this blog to cook and share. :) By doing this, I hope to improve my food knowledge & cooking skill. :) Basically, I made the above using her recipe which can be found be clicking her name but added spices, Mozzarella cheese n Japanese mayonnaise to enhance the flavour. The taste turned out goood but it's far from the original Rosti as shown in the video below. Rosti cooked from scratch! :)

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh0VQGhCdeM  
(watching it gives u a rough idea on how it should be cooked and should turn out to be like :) )

 It's cheap, fast to prepare, relatively easy and savory! So here's my modified recipe for the individual portion which I intend to try next time after doing some research.

Ingredients:
butter  ( replace with olive oil if you prefer a healthier rosti!)
1 medium potato
mozerella cheese
sliced onions ( maybe about 5 slices?) (optional)
egg (optional)
sliced Bacon (optional)
Herbs ( Masterfood's spaghetti bolognese mix would be ideal.. if not rosemary, oregano,basil, thyme should taste good as well.. just play around! ) (optional) 
Japanese mayonnaise (optional)

a Non-stick pan

Method:

1)  For best results, boil your unpeeled potato and leave it in the fridge overnight. ( but it's okay to omit this step and skip to the next step for an instant rosti) 

2)  Using a grater, slice the potato into pieces

3)  If you're noob at cracking your egg, crack your egg in a bowl first 

4)  Heat butter in a pan ( just heat put enough butter which is enough to coat all your potatoes and turn them golden brown.. about 2-4 tablespoon i guess?) 

4) Add the onions and sweat them until they look glassy and transparent. 

5) Add the grated potatoes, salt, black pepper, herbs and bacon. stir through.

6) Fry while stirring them around in the pan for about 3 to 5 minutes.

7) Press together to form a flat cake and fry over medium heat until there is a golden crust on the bottom. 

8) Place a serving platter on the pan and turn the pan upside down, so the Roesti falls on the platter with the crust on top. 

9) Attempt to make a hole in the middle and pour your egg into it.. it's up to you on how cooked you want your egg to be. 

10) Add the cheese in at the same time 

11) It is ready to be served when your egg is cooked and cheese has melted to your liking! Add jap mayo for some jap flavour!

Well.. you realize there are many optional items and I have decided to add them to my rosti recipe so as to suit my personal liking. I prefer something more savoury ! Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the above too! :)

Oh! Remember to hydrate yourself after consumption!!! I guess it would go well with a glass of orange or lime :)

Some insights on potato: 

The potato belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos.

Potatoes as a very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber.

Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.

Vitamin B6 - Building Your Cells
                  - Brain Cell and Nervous System Activity
                  - Cardiovascular Protection
                  - Breakdown of glycogen ( athletics performance )

For more info: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48

Oh dear POTATOES POTTY POTTY POT PO! ^^