Potato and Beet Rösti with Poached Eggs

Crisp pan-fried potato fritters from Switzerland, rösti make a hearty autumn brunch when served topped with poached eggs. Here we mix things up by adding shredded beets to the rösti, which can be made up to 3 hours ahead of time and reheated in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Potato and Beet Rösti with Poached Eggs

1 lb. (500 g) Yukon gold potatoes

1/2 lb. (250 g) golden beets, peeled

3/4 tsp. truffle salt

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

4 large eggs

4 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt

2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh chives

Preheat an oven to 200°F (95°C).

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the unpeeled potatoes and boil until softened, about 7 minutes. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes. Shred the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor with the shredding disk, then shred the raw beets in the same way. Transfer the shredded vegetables to a large bowl and season with the truffle salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Spray a 10-inch (25-cm) nonstick sauté pan with cooking spray. Place the pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbs. of the butter. When the butter is melted, add the vegetable mixture to the pan, pressing down with a spatula to compress it into a neat cake. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the cake is golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, loosen the edges of the cake. Place a plate on top of the pan, and, using oven mitts, carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Return the pan to medium-low heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Transfer the cake to the pan cooked side up and continue to cook until crisp and golden on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Place in the oven to keep warm.

Crack the eggs into small ramekins. Fill an 8-inch (20-cm) fry pan with water. Bring the water to a boil, add the vinegar and salt and stir to dissolve. Turn off the heat. Quickly and gently slide each egg into the water. Cover the fry pan, move it off the burner and set a timer for 3 1/2 minutes.

While the eggs are poaching, remove the rösti from the oven and cut it into 4 wedges. Divide the wedges among 4 plates. When the eggs are ready, remove them from the poaching liquid using a slotted spoon, and pat them dry with paper towels. Top each rösti wedge with a poached egg. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Find more simple, healthy meals for every night of
the week in our book Weeknight Vegetarian, by Ivy Manning.