Potato Rosti, and a Quick Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

Potato Rosti may not sound familiar to some, but it’s like a giant potato latke.  To boost up its grandeur, I created a 15-minute brown butter pan apple sauce that will knock your proverbial socks off!

Happy Valentines Day, err, Eve, everyone! I had this potato rosti post scheduled to go up at 5 pm last night, but I didn’t use GMT when I scheduled it, so it’s now the 15th.  Well, it’s still Valentine’s Day on the West Coast! I hope you all had an amazing day and are now getting your lips kissed off and/or eating tons of chocolate.

Potato Rosti with Bacon and Brie, and a Quick and Easy Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

For this month’s Daring Cooks Challenge, we were asked to make fried patties of some sort, and one of the recipes offered to us was potato rosti, which is sort of a mix between a giant potato latke and hash brown potatoes. I added bacon lardons, green onions, and brie to mine.  It was suggested that the use of a cast iron skillet was ideal, and I have three; an 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch, all well-seasoned, or so I thought.

Potato Rosti with Bacon and Brie, and a Quick and Easy Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

Once the underside of my potato rosti was cooked, some careful inspection revealed that there was no way I was flipping this baby over without it falling apart. So, I stuck it under the broiler to finish it and brown the top, as you can see by the uneven, scraggly-ness, which roasted red peppers hearts and sliced green onions failed to disguise.  We cut slices of the potato rosti out of the pan, and it came out well, but it still would have broken into pieces had I tried to flip it. Taste > beauty..always.

Potato Rosti with Bacon and Brie, and a Quick and Easy Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

I topped some slices with an egg and more roasted red bell pepper hearts (cutting the egg into a heart shape proved difficult since the white was so delicate and thin in some areas, but I did my best, and I think it still resembles somewhat of a heart??).  For the rest of the potato rosti, I made a super quick brown butter chunky pan applesauce to top it, which was absolutely BOSS.

Potato Rosti with Bacon and Brie, and a Quick and Easy Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

The Daring Cooks’ February 2012 challenge was hosted by Audax (my pal) & Lis (one of my wifeypoos) and they chose to present Patties for their ease of construction, ingredients and deliciousness! We were given several recipes, and learned the different types of binders and cooking methods to produce our own tasty patties.

Potato Rosti with Bacon and Brie, and a Quick and Easy Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

With all that said, you have got to try my quick brown butter pan applesauce, whether or not you make the rosti.  It came to me on a whim, and I nailed it in one shot, which isn’t usually the case, so I’m a proud mama..sort of. Plus, you can pair it with so many other things, like pork chops! See what I did there?

Potato Rosti with Bacon and Brie, and a Quick and Easy Brown Butter Pan ApplesaucePotato Rosti Napoleon? I sandwiched three slices of rosti with some extra brie and put it in the oven for a few minutes, then topped it with my quick brown butter pan apple sauce. A glorious tasting mess!

For a bounty of recipes for all kinds of patties and rosti, from the challenge, click HERE.

Rest in Peace, Whitney.  The tragic loss of a beautiful woman with the voice of an angel.

Potato Rosti Recipe

Potato Rosti with Bacon, Onion and Brie
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 2 large potato rostis
 
ingredients:
  • 2½ lbs russet potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons feshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, or use all-purpose flour
  • 1 lb slab bacon without the rind, or thick cut bacon
  • 7 oz wheel of Brie or any other good melting cheese you like. Great with cheddar!
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced, dark ends saved for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons oil, for frying
directions:
  1. Dice bacon into cubes and fry until fat is rendered and it's a deep rust color. Strain off bacon grease and save for another use. Set aside on a paper towel in a bowl.
  2. Cut white, papery rind off of brie (you can keep it on. I prefer it off). Dice into small cubes, or shred, if brie is cold and firm.
  3. Slice white and light green parts of scallions on the diagonal. Slice some of the dark green parts on the diagonal and set those aside for garnish.
  4. Grate the peeled potatoes with a box grater or a food processor shredding disk. Wrap the grated potatoes in a cloth and squeeze dry, You will get a lot of liquid; over ½ cup. Discard liquid since it is full of potato starch, but save it to thicken soups and stews!. Return dried potato to bowl and add the egg, brie, bacon, green onions, cornstarch, pepper, and salt. Mix until combined.
  5. Preheat a frying pan (a well seasoned cast iron is best, 8 to 10-inch) until medium hot, Add 2 teaspoons of oil and wait until oil shimmers.
  6. Place half of mixture into the pan and flatten with a spoon until you get a smooth flat surface. Lower heat to medium.
  7. Fry for 8-10 minutes (check at 6 minutes) on the first side then flip it by sliding the rösti onto a plate and using another plate to invert the rösti and slide it back into the pan. Fry the other side about 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Repeat to make another rosti.

Brown Butter Cinnamon Pan Apple Sauce
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
ingredients:
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick - 4 tablespoons - 2 oz)
  • 4 large Granny Smith (or any tart apples), apples - peeled, cored and chopped into cubes.
  • ¼ to ½ cup white granulated sugar or brown sugar, entirely depending on how sweet you like it
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • squeeze of lemon juice (taste to see if it needs it)
directions:
  1. In a large saute pan, melt the butter on medium low heat. Cook the butter until the the milk solids rise to the top and the liquid beneath the solids is a very light golden amber, not brown, as the butter will brown with the apples..
  2. Add the chopped apples to the butter and saute until the apples start to soften. Sprinkle on the sugar and let the apples caramelize in the sugar, stirring until the apples are completely caramelized and soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, vanilla bean or extract, and kosher salt.
  3. Pour the apple mixture into a bowl, scraping out all the caramel goodness left in the pan. Mash with a fork for chunky apple sauce, or give it a whirl in the food processor (or use a blender or stick blender) for a smooth apple sauce. Squeeze in some lemon juice to taste, if needed. When cool, place in an airtight container in the fridge (it should last about 2 weeks), or immediately serve warm over potato rosti, latkes, pork chops - OR just eat as is!
notes:
Add other spices, like nutmeg, allspice or even a pinch of cayenne, if you like. It's your apple sauce - play with the flavor!

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48 Responses to Potato Rosti, and a Quick Brown Butter Pan Applesauce

  1. That looks delicious! A perfectly cooked egg and extremely tasty rösti.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  2. A flavoursome rosti and those love hearts are so cute, I really adore the additions to the basic recipe. And I LOVE your love story and you are up to part IV now and part V is coming soon. Yes about seasoning cast iron pans see this link it is full of great information http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

    I have to say your photography is getting better and better if that is possible LOL LOL. As always a marvellous rendition of the challenge. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

  3. Sterlingo says:

    Wow at your story. Sounds so cute It so sad what happened.. Something for a married person like myself to live through LOL! the Rosti looks amazing, its the one pattie i didn’t end up making, looks like i’ll have to fchange that!

  4. Dan says:

    What a creative tasty dish and your pictures are awesome as usual. Your story is quite engaging and look forward to reading the next part(s). Well done again and I love the heart shaped egg – how did you do that?

  5. Megan says:

    I’m thinking back to some summer vacation romances and feeling your pain right now.

    I’ve made a roesti before, and I actually found that a lightweight nonstick skillet was a smarter idea. The cast-iron skillet is too heavy to deal with. The heart is cute!

  6. monkeyshines says:

    Why oh why have I never put bacon in a roesti??? it looks fab!

  7. Shelley C says:

    Business first – your potato rosti looks delicious, and beyond adorable, all Valentine-d up. Really great job on the challenge!

    And oh my gosh, I can’t wait for part five! I am reading this with my mind in two places about it – one, totally remembering being a 15 year old girl and how amazing and exciting it all sounds, how easy it was to fully fall in love and just BE in the moment. And the other in my no years later, as the mom of a five year old girl who, in ten short years, will be that 15 year old girl. Oh my gosh!! Thanks for sharing this – it is super fun to read 🙂

  8. Evelyne says:

    The rostis look fab and they do look like a heart. Oh no, you got caught. I hope part five has a positive ending!

  9. Jamie says:

    You know what I think of your story 😉 all weak-kneed, panting, heart-pounding, sweating word of it… and you leave me all alone for the night once again. Pass me the rosti… and one heart-shaped egg, dear. So I can cry, too. Perfect perfect rosti and love the egg. Romantic. xoxo

  10. Jenny says:

    Oh my–that dish looks great – I will come back and read the entire story very soon – have a sick boy at home!

  11. 5 Star Foodie says:

    The rosti sound excellent! Loving the story, looking forward to reading more.

  12. Potato Rosti is one of my favorites! And adding bacon is just a natural…wonderful dish and wonderful story – I am hooked!!

  13. This rosti looks so good – another incredible recipe lady! I’m loving your bad boy story as well – it’s like my weekly soap opera fix 🙂

  14. What an excellent rosti and I love the idea of a brown butter cinnamon apple sauce. Love your love story:)

  15. Mary says:

    Parents are just so mean sometimes. Mine weren’t very strict, but I remember feeling how unfair it was when they finally put their foot (feet?) down. Your rosti looks great–bacon and brie and an egg–very decadent. 🙂

  16. Sue says:

    Your rosti looks delicious! I would especially love the egg on top, and the little heart is the perfect touch:)
    Can’t imagine what happens in part 5?!?

  17. Jo says:

    Oh wow, love the idea of the brown butter cinnamon apples all on their own, on top of the rosti I bet they were fabulous!

  18. Heart shaped egg on top of the perfect Rosti…be still my heart! Your story telling skills are wonderful. I am enthralled and I hope there is more juiciness to come:)Love LOVE the apple sauce. xx

  19. Renata says:

    This is my comment regarding ONLY your lovely heart rösti, which I love and could eat a dozen of those topped with the perfectly cooked eggs. How lovely all the heart shaped parts, even the mini pepper heart!
    Now, about the story, I’m really looking forward to reading all the parts I’ve missed before reading chapter 4 and have a great laugh. I love your writing! I really need to catch up on my reading, but it’s been a busy time for me, I will soon move back to Brazil and I never new it could be possible to collect so many things in 5 years! And I’m not even a shopping center kind of person!

  20. Still loving the story! We’re all reliving similar heated moments 😉 My girlfriend and I got caught climbing out her bedroom window and her parents put bars on it!! Your heart shaped rosti and egg sounds/looks delicious, too.

  21. Your challenges posts are always fabulous and worth waiting for. What a fantastic meal.

  22. Liz says:

    My cast iron skillets are old and seasoned, but stick, too…I need Martha Stewart to intervene! And you’ve left us hanging AGAIN!!!! Guess I’ll be back 🙂

  23. Crumbs of Love says:

    If it’s got bacon in it, I’m eating it. Looks delicious Lisa

  24. Terra says:

    OH this sounds like a perfect brunch to me, you put brie and bacon in the same recipe……AND I am in!!!! YUM:-) I am such a fan of anything brown butter, this applesauce sounds HOLY CATS AMAZING!!! Hugs, Terra

  25. Jenni says:

    Oh, I love your little heart shaped feast! It looks fantastic, as always! I’ve never made a potato rosti before, but it sounds amazing, I might have to give it a shot! And I can’t wait to hear the end of the story!! I hope it doesn’t end with him standing on the end of the pier waiting for you!

    By the way, Shelley and I have decided that we all three have to meet up for an afternoon of coffee and talking one day. And yes, Ladybug is walking, and running, and talking, and even helping me in the kitchen! Its so fun! And messy. 🙂

  26. Oh my this looks SO delicious! I love brie. I love bacon. I love scallions. I love this dish! And just so I know – how many parts are there to this story? You are a very good story teller 🙂

  27. Suz says:

    This IS like The Notebook! Does he build a house next and then you see his name in the paper? Is he Ryan Baby Goose?? Can I have some rosti, please? I think the bacon/brie thing is a stroke of brilliance and it looks divine.

    p.s. Now I know how the original Dickens fans felt. AGH serialisation.

  28. samology says:

    Happy Valentine’s Day Lisa!! Your dish looks very interesting! And definitely very delicious too!!! I love how you add on so much brie. hehehe.. Cheese always makes any food even better! I would really like to try this!!! Your family’s so lucky! They get to always sample your food!

  29. Oh no! Don’t leave us hanging like this please! Or please don’t make us wait too long ok? I’m dying to know what happens next! 😀

  30. Maureen says:

    LOL I read your story and was instantly a teenager again 🙂 I love it!

    and I love, love, love potato rosti and that applesauce — don’t get me started! 🙂

  31. Charlie says:

    Loving the story. Just wish I had a plate of that roesti with the egg while reading it.

  32. There is nothing to compare to the intense emotions of young love, and I think your first will always make your heart flutter! Why do girls fall for the bad boys?

    Your rosti with the melted brie just makes me want to hurry up and go to bed so I can have this for breakfast! And the applesauce…the icing on “the cake”! Thanks!

  33. Karen says:

    I think you rosti with bacon and brie is a special way to say I love you to someone special any day of the year. Just lovely.

  34. bunkycooks says:

    Quit the cooking and get on with the rest of the story! I had to go back and read Part 4 since I missed that with everything going on here with the pup. You have to go back! The rents can’t do that to you! Please hurry with Part 5!!! I am dying over here!

  35. Lora says:

    You must have been crushed! I love your descriptions of all those feelings he awakened in you. Took me way back…

    Oh and that rosti looks ah may zing.

  36. Noooo! You are killing me here. Killing me! Can’t wait to hear what happens next… Oh, and the rosti looks awesome!!

  37. Steve says:

    Hey There. I found your blog via foodgawker. Not only is the story great, but your food looks terrific. I’m definitely bookmarking this potato rosti. I will definitely return.

  38. Simone says:

    Oo, I can so imagine how you must have felt!! Hoping the next part has some happy endings in there!!

  39. Kelly says:

    Oh my gosh, I need to know what happens next! Hope part 5 is here soon! Yummy potato roesti! Love the perfectly cooked egg with the pepper hearts!

  40. Wow, that’s one yummy meal.. two yummy meals :-). Great, mouth watering clicks too!
    Also, you asked some question about my sour cream cheese cake. I answered them on my blog. Thanks for reading the recipe in such detail! Please let me know if you end up making it.

  41. Juliana says:

    Lisa, your potato rosti looks so cute…especially with the egg on it. Brown butter apple sauce sure sounds very tasty.
    Hope you are having a wonderful week 🙂

  42. Valerie says:

    First off, great looking rösti! Especially with the fried egg. Second, nooooooo!!!!! Parents are horrible! Ok, they’re not, they’re just looking out for us most of the time, but your story has literally turned me into a teenager again. I remember, I was in college and in my first serious relationship, when my parents were due to leave Canada, and there was talk of my going with them. I ended up staying (and getting dumped two years later), but I can still remember the anguish. Thankfully part five is already up!

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  44. Lew says:

    Lisa, it’s very easy to flip. Just invert a big plate over the top of the skillet. Turn over the skillet/plate and the Rosti will fall onto the plate, cooked side up. Slide the Rosti off of the plate (the uncooked side is now down) back into into the skillet. Viola.

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