Rösti

Rösti

Rösti is a potato dish from Switzerland. It was originally a common breakfast eaten by farmers in the canton of Bern, but today is eaten all over Switzerland. Many Swiss people consider rösti a national dish. Today it is more commonly served as a sidekick to meat and vegetables rather than eaten for breakfast.

The word rösti is pronounced as IPA: [ˈrøs.ti] in Standard German, and pronounced as IPA: [ˈrøːʃ.ti] -- and often spelled-- in Swiss German.

Rösti is made and often mixed with some fat such as oil. They are then shaped into rounds or patties, which come in different 3-12 but can also be baked in the oven. A number of additional ingredients are often added, such as bacon, onions, cheese, apples or fresh herbs.

There are a perfect rösti. The greatest difference of opinion is whether to use raw or boiled potatoes as the main ingredient. Also, the kind of potato which makes the best rösti dish is widely disputed.

The issue of raw is commonly considered solved as follows: If rösti is a side dish and the main dish is meat with sauce, then boiled potatoes are used. This allows the rösti to soak in some of the sauce. On the other hand, if rösti is the main dish (particularly if served with cheese), raw potatoes are more suitable.

Rösti considered unhealthy because of the amount of butter or oil used.

The dish has given its name to a Swiss political term referring to the difference in outlook between the country's German- and French-speaking communities: the Röstigraben ("rösti rift").

A Jewish dish, called Latke, is eaten mostly during the Hanukkah holiday.