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Ed Smith’s blog Rocket
and Squash was
shortlisted for a Guild
of Food Writers award
SWEET POTATO AND ROSEMARY HASH-RÖSTI
A bold new cookbook from writer and chef Ed Smith pushes the
side dish to centre stage. Take a dinner party bow with these…
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“It’s tricky to pan-fry rösti for more than two people at once if
you’ve other things going on in the kitchen, so I prefer this baked
method. This probably prevents them from being strictly authentic,
hence the hash brown reference in the name.
They’re relatively easy to make and quite hands-off once the
patties are prepared, but you do need to begin the process well in
advance. A little effort and forward planning results in a cracking
partner for gammon and egg, breaded fish and chicken, lamb
chops and many more. They’re more sweet and flavoursome than a
basic potato version, and I think particularly good served next to a
pile of wholesome greens.”
Ingredients Method
Serves 6
350g sweet potatoes
350g waxy potatoes, such as Desiree
1 white onion, halved and thinly sliced
into crescents
Leaves from 3 sprigs rosemary, finely
chopped
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons light rapeseed or
sunflower oil
Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Peel both types of potato, then cut into large chunks around the
size of a snooker ball. Put them in a medium saucepan, fill it with
cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes. You
should just about be able to push a fork through, but nowhere
near mashing territory. Drain, cool to room temperature, then chill
in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Put the onion and rosemary in a large bowl. Grate the potatoes
on the largest holes of a box grater into the bowl, and add the
flour, a generous pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper.
Mix well with a fork, then add the egg and mix again. Divide the
mixture into 6 and use your hands to roll the mixture into ball
shapes. Gently compress these into patties roughly 4cm thick
and chill in the fridge until needed.
When ready to cook the hash-rösti, preheat the oven to 200˚C/
Fan 180˚C/Gas 6. Spread the oil over a baking tray that’s large
enough to fit them all comfortably. Place the patties evenly on
the tray and bake on the top shelf for about 40 minutes, carefully
turning them over after 20 minutes (you’ll need a fish slice or
spatula), and once more with 5 minutes to go.
They’ll be ferociously hot once cooked, and can therefore sit for
5 minutes while you’re pulling the rest of your meal together.
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