Rösti is a Swiss dish consisting mainly of grated potatoes cooked in the style of a fritter. It was originally a breakfast dish eaten by farmers in the region of Bern, but is now enjoyed all over Switzerland and around the world and is thought to be the inspiration for hashbrowns.

Traditionally, rösti is made with potatoes and butter and goose fat, but the addition of ingredients such as onion, zucchini and parsley can increase the flavour and nutrient value, while substituting the butter with vegetable oil will lower the fat content.

Horticulture Innovation Australia, the research and development organisation for the horticulture industry, recently launched the Australian Onions “Secret Serve” campaign aimed at increasing the amount of vegetables consumed by Australian children after the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey (2014-2015) reported that 94.6 per cent of children aged two to 18 years were not getting the recommended daily serves of vegetables.

“The Secret Serve campaign is designed to show that onions can become a reliable and hassle-free serve of veg for your children, ensuring they are well nourished,” says Horticulture Innovation marketing manager Craig Perring.

“This often-overlooked vegetable contains many health benefits. [It’s] anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and it contains high levels of biotin, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and fibre. Other attributes include boosting the immune system and helping to maintain good gut and heart health.”

As part of the campaign, the onion industry has partnered with well-known food personalities across Australia to create feature recipes showcasing the versatility of onions.

Here, Horticulture Innovation has shared meteorologist and television presenter Magdalena Roze’s recipe for rösti (potato fritters).

“I fell in love with rösti while on holiday in the UK,” she says “We were staying at a B&B in Kent and the host made the most amazing potato rösti. It makes a delicious family breakfast on a Sunday morning served with poached eggs or just on their own.”

Rösti (potato fritters)

Ingredients

2 large desiree potatoes, scrubbed
1 zucchini
1 red onion
1 handful roughly chopped parsley
2 tbsp vegetable oil
salt
pepper
3 tbsp ketchup, to serve

Method

Grate the potato and zucchini into a bowl (leave the skins of the potatoes on for extra flavour and nutrients).

Peel and thinly slice the onion, and add this to the bowl along with the parsley, salt and pepper.

Give the ingredients a good mix and squeeze out any excess liquid.

Heat two non-stick frying pans with a little oil and place half the mixture into each pan.

Push down to flatten and cook on high heat for 2 minutes. Then turn down to a medium heat and cook for 4 minutes each side. Ensure each side is golden before carefully sliding on to a plate.

Cut into triangles and serve with ketchup.