A rösti is basically a hash brown’s fancy Swiss cousin – somewhere between a latke and a potato pancake, explains registered Nutrition Sophie Gastman (@sophiethenutritionist). “Here it’s topped with crispy fried eggs and sweet balsamic roasted veg, so you’ve covered all the bases in terms of protein, healthy fats, carbs and fibre. In other words, it’s a well-balanced excuse to have a posh hash brown for breakfast.”
You’ll find this recipe and loads more in her debut cookbook, Find Your Healthy – a practical guide with plenty of myth-busting. Sophie cuts through the food noise, offering evidence-based healthy eating advice alongside delicious recipes.
READ MORE: Move Over Overnight Oats! Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Is the Breakfast You Need To Try Now
Want to… MAKE IT VEGAN? Fry the rösti in oil or plant-based butter. Swap the pesto-fried eggs for tofu scramble drizzled with vegan pesto.
STORE THE LEFTOVERS? Keep the rösti and veg in separate containers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat the rösti in a pan or in a preheated oven at 180°C fan or air fryer at 180°C for 8-10 minutes until crisp. Reheat the veg at the same temperature for 5-8 minutes.
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Pesto Fried Egg Rösti with Balsamic Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
Sophie Gastman’s scrumptious pesto eggs recipe with a crispy potato rösti and balsamic roasted veggies, is worth adding to your breakfast roster.
Pesto Fried Egg Rösti with Balsamic Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the rösti
- 2 medium potatoes (approx. 350g), skin on
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil or unsalted butter
For the balsamic roasted veg
- 100 g cherry tomatoes
- 100 g asparagus, tough ends snapped off
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the eggs (1-2 per person)
- 2-4 Tbsp pesto, from a jar or homemade (check if vegetarian, if needed)
- 2-4 eggs
Optional garnishes
- Grated Parmesan cheese or vegetarian hard cheese
- Torn fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Make the Rösti
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Grate the potatoes using the large holes of a box grater.
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Place the grated potato in a bowl of cold water to rinse off the starch.
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Drain, then use a clean tea towel or kitchen paper to squeeze out all the excess moisture – the drier the potato, the crispier the rösti.
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Transfer to a bowl and season with the salt and pepper.
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Heat a tablespoon of the oil or butter in a small (approx. 20cm) frying pan over a low–medium heat. Add the grated potato and press it into an even layer, covering the whole pan.
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Cook for 8-10 minutes until the bottom is golden and crisp. If it isn’t browning, turn the heat up slightly.
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Once golden, carefully flip onto a plate or board. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil or butter to the pan and slide the rösti back in to cook the other side. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the second side is crisp and golden.
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Slide the finished rösti onto a baking tray and keep warm under a preheated medium–high grill (this step makes it extra crispy – just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn).
Roast the veg
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While the rösti cooks, roast the veg. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
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Toss the tomatoes and asparagus with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, and some salt and pepper.
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Spread the veg out on the lined baking tray and roast for 15 minutes, or air-fry at 200°C for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are starting to blister and the asparagus is tender and slightly charred.
Fry the pesto eggs
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Using the same frying pan you used for the rösti, add the pesto to the pan and fry over a low heat for a minute until it’s gently sizzling.
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Crack in the eggs and let them cook until the edges begin to crisp. Spoon the warm pesto over the whites, then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes to set the tops while keeping the yolks runny.
Serve
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Cut the rösti into wedges and serve with the balsamic roasted vegetables and a pesto-fried egg on top of each portion.
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Finish with a grating of cheese and a scattering of torn basil leaves, if you fancy.
Recipes extracted from Find Your Healthy by Sophie Gastman (Ebury Press, ~R575)
This recipe was originally published on Women’s Health UK
