Kartoffelnpuffernrostis.....and that's a word....

To get back into shape for the coming Winter season, when writing about food is more pleasurable, here are a couple of little pieces, edited and republished from some time ago......
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In the Army.........(1)

Thursday 1er novembre 2007 - Army style International Cooking.

Just the other day somebody asked me if I knew how to

make things called “Rostis”. 

Stupid question, I know how to make anything in the kitchen, the only

problem is having open and easy access to the ingredients necessary!

In this case, not too difficult, because a “Roestli” is the Swiss German word given to a simple dish made from potatoes with or without onions, eggs, salt and pepper, together with any form of spice or herb one wishes.

The famous, well known ones, are savoury, with onions, garlic (optional),

fried in goose or duck fat preferably, although butter can be used, as a

Sweet potato (yam) rosti with goat cheese.

sort of “open omelette” and served traditionally with Apple puree, or used as a garnish for grilled meat and fish dishes. The Germans actually eat them all by themselves, a dozen at a time......

It can also be made as a dessert, without the onions, and using Yams

(sweet potatoes), some sugar and the spices used in sweet dishes –

garnished with comfiture or honey or chocolate sauce etc..

In both cases, the method is the same:

Peel potatoes or yams, grate them, slice the onions (if used) finely, add

your condiments, and fry them, in the fat chosen, until the potatoes are

cooked. Put them to one side to cool down, and beat your eggs as for an

omelette (at this moment, you can add whatever else you wish, bacon,

ham etc.. and mix it into the beaten eggs).

Now heat up a little fat in a non-stick pan (or an omelette pan, if you have one specially-which every cuisine should have!) and put the desired amount of cooked potato mixture in, just to heat a little, then

pour over the desired amount of egg mixture, swill it around the pan, as

for an omelette, and when the one side is browned (about 3 minutes)

throw it (like a pancake) to turn it over. Pick up the bits from the floor

and brown the 2nd side as well!

Finished!

To serve, slide the “Roestli” onto a plate, and serve (if wished) with

some apple puree on the side, or in the middle.

For the sweet ones, with yams, you can do exactly the same, without

the onions, of course, and before service, spread the jam or honey or

chocolate sauce over the “Roestli” or serve it apart.

The real name for these things (which are also used to accompany

dishes) is actually German – “Kartoffelnpuffern” – (you can understand

why the Swiss changed the name) and this brings me to the title of this

article!