Rosti In Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva, we had heard, was an understated city. A place for international bankers and envoys to hold discreet conversations behind closed doors. Our first experience of Geneva, though, was anything but subtle as we were showered by the spray from the 400 foot high Jet d'Eau, the colossal fountain that erupts from Lake Geneva. The fountain reminds us that there are two sides to Geneva: the cosmopolitan centre of global finance and diplomacy, but also a fun and welcoming city for artists, students, and tourists like us.
Geneva is the most French of Swiss cities, surrounded on three sides by France. The language on the streets, the architecture, the cafes, the culture and cuisine, are all French. This is, however, still Switzerland, so the streets are immaculate, the buildings are all freshly painted, public transport runs like clock-work, and the parks are perfectly manicured.
Geneva has a long and complicated history. It was one of the cities where the Protestant Reformation was born and played an important role in the religious wars that followed. Leading figures of the Reformation look down from the Reformation Wall, a memorial to those events.
Students from the nearby University of Geneva sprawl on the lawns surrounding the monument, oblivious to the reproving stares of the great men. A short walk away is the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, a Catholic cathedral converted to a Protestant church, and the old armoury that displays ancient cannon.
Geneva is a great centre for culture and the arts. There are museums for every taste: The Art and History museum; The Natural History museum; the Red Cross museum; The Museum of the Reformation; The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art; and of course, this being Geneva, the Patek Phillipe Museum of watchmaking.
Opera and dance lovers must visit the Grand Théâtre de Genève. For book readers there is the Geneva Library, founded in 1559 and one of the oldest cultural institutions in the city, holding more than two million volumes. There is also the Rousseau Museum, located in the former house of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and devoted to his works.
Geneva is also a city to savour great food. You can find any kind of cuisine here in the city with dishes cooked skilfully and creatively. We had a very unusual pizza one afternoon, it was studded with spiced chickpeas and roasted vegetables and the whole thing was surprisingly delicious!
The numerous outdoor cafes and restaurants that dot the streets of old town Geneva were like a magnet to us. We loved soaking up the sun while people watching and tucking into one of our favourite dishes - rosti. Rosti is a uniquely Swiss dish comprised of shredded potatoes, cooked into a crisp, thick pancake, topped with anything from fried eggs, steak or sausages, or caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms to name a few.
Eating rosti with assorted toppings was one of our favourite addictions in Switzerland! Rosti with eggs and bacon or ham was how we liked to start our mornings and it was filling enough to fuel us for all the hiking and sightseeing we did. Sometimes rosti would accompany dinner too, that’s how much we liked it!
Rosti with ham and fried eggs is my absolute favourite, it makes for a comforting, delicious meal. But you can pretty much put anything on it that you want - crispy, fried potatoes will taste great with everything!
Rosti
2 - 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (1 lb)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lightly fried eggs
2 slices of thick cut ham
Chopped parsley for garnish
Place potatoes in saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and cook potatoes until they are par-boiled, about 15 minutes.
You can refrigerate the half cooked potatoes for up to 2 days. When ready to cook, peel potatoes, then grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Add salt and pepper.
Warm 3 tbsp butter in a 10 inch frying pan set over medium low heat.
Spread potatoes in frying pan, pressing down and flattening them with a spatula until shaped into a compact disc, about 1/2 inch thick.
Cook for about 15 - 20 min or until the bottom is golden and crisp.
Remove frying pan from heat, top with a plate and gently flip the rosti onto the plate
Place frying pan back on stove, add remaining 3 tbsp butter and carefully slide the rosti into pan, uncooked side on the bottom this time.
Cook for another 15 min or until bottom is crisp and golden and potatoes are cooked through, reducing heat if necessary.
Slide rosti gently onto a plate and serve topped with the sliced ham, fried eggs, and chopped parsley.
Serves two
