Rösti or as French call them röstis bernois is a version of potato pancakes. This delicious Swiss dish will make a perfect light lunch for true gourmands. Switch it up with whole baked potatoes instead of rösti for different serving variations.
Rostis
450 g (1 lb) potatoes 1 red onion, grated
2 egg yolks
salt and black pepper
olive oil for frying
Topping
4 quail eggs
65 ml (2 1/2 fl oz) crème fraiche
100 g (3 1/2 oz) smoked salmon, diced
100 g (3 1/2 oz) Sevruga or Osetra caviar
1. Peel the potatoes and grate them raw into a bowl. Rinse well, drain, and then wrap them in a clean towel to draw out the remaining moisture. Return them to the howl and mix in the onion, egg yolks and seasoning. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. Divide the potato mixture into eight halls, and then flatten them out slightly. Fry over a moderate heat for around 10 minutes on either side, until golden brown. Remove from the pan, drain on kitchen paper and transfer to a plate in a warm oven.
2. Heat the frying pan with a little more oil, then carefully break the quail eggs into it and fry until cooked (about 1-2 minutes). Set them aside to keep warm.
3. Warm 4 plates and put 2 rostis on each. Place a spoonful of crème fraiche on one rosti and pile on a quarter of the smoked salmon. Pop a quail egg onto the other rosti and top with 2 tsp of caviar. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
Serve with Champagne, top Sauvignon Blanc, fino sherry or vodka.
Crispy potato rosti with smoked salmon, quail eggs, and caviar
