Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides

Giant potato rösti with garlic and thyme

An easy make-ahead side dish made with potatoes, onions, garlic and thyme.
You can freeze the rösti – just warm it through in the oven before serving.
Recipe from Delicious Magazine

Serves 8

Olive oil for frying and greasing
2 tbsp (30g) butter, plus an extra knob
3 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
8 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
3.5lbs (1.5kg) red-skinned potatoes
1 tbsp sea salt
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

Put a large glug of olive oil and a large knob of butter in a frying pan over a low-medium heat.
When hot, add the onions and garlic and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft, sweet and golden. Add the thyme for the last few minutes. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 375F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Grate the potatoes on a box grater and wrap in a clean tea towel. Press it hard against the side of the sink for a few minutes to squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

Grease a 9″ (23cm) short-sided cake tin (see tip) with a removable base (not a springform tin, from which the rösti would be difficult to remove).
Put the squeezed grated potato in a large mixing bowl with the cooled onion mixture, together with the salt, eggs, chives and some freshly ground black pepper.
Mix well with your hands and put in the cake tin (don’t pack it down too tightly). Cook the rösti for 1 hour, then remove, dot the 2 tbsp butter over the surface and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden brown on the top.
Remove from the tin and serve straightaway or just warm.

Tips
Use a shallow cake tin so the top crisps up. A high- sided tin would block the heat.

Make the rösti up to 8 hours ahead, keep in the tin and heat in a 350F/180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4 for 20-25 minutes to warm up.
Freeze the cooked rösti in its tin, well wrapped in cling film, for up to 1 month.
Defrost well, then warm through in a medium oven to serve.