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Cilbir Potato Rosti with Fresh Mint

Çilbir Potato Rösti with Fresh Mint

This Çilbir Potato Rösti is a giant potato pancake topped with garlicky yogurt, pillowy poached eggs topped with chili butter and fresh mint.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course brunch
Cuisine Swiss German, Turkish
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Large Non-stick skillet
  • Large, deep skillet
  • Box Grater
  • Cheesecloth

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large russet potatoes scrubbed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt divided
  • 1 ¼ cup yogurt 3% milkfat or higher
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes **
  • Fresh mint leaves and blossoms for serving

Instructions
 

  • Shred the potatoes using a grater before transferring them to a large bowl. Add 1/2 of salt and some fresh ground pepper and toss to coat. Set the potatoes aside and let them sit for 15 minutes. 
  • While the potatoes are resting, add the garlic and mint to the yogurt in a small bowl. Add the remaining salt and stir to combine. Chill until ready to serve.
  • Once the 15 minutes have passed, line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and pour the shredded potato into the strainer. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth to form a bundle and squeeze the potato to force as much moisture out of the potatoes as possible. Return the potato to the bowl and set it aside.
  • Pour the vegetable oil into a large non-stick skillet. Heat the oil until it starts to shimmer, rotating the pan to ensure even coverage. Add the potato to the pan and press it with the back of a spoon to ensure it is evenly distributed. 
  • Dot the surface of the potato with 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter cut into cubes. Keep the heat at medium to medium-low depending on how hot your stove runs and set the timer for 10 minutes. Let the potatoes cook undisturbed. The butter will begin to melt through the potatoes slowly.
  • Cover the rosti with a large plate and carefully invert the frying pan to flip the rosti. Carefully slide the rosti off of the plate and back into the pan. Fry for an additional 8 minutes.
  • While the rosti is frying, poach some eggs. Fill a large deep skillet with water and place it over high heat. Bring the water to a boil before reducing to a gentle simmer. Add the white vinegar.
  • Crack an egg into a ramekin. Using a spoon, create a sort of vortex in the center of the pot. Bring the ramekin right up to the water’s surface and pour the egg in. Repeat with the remaining eggs, taking care to create smaller gentler vortexes, so as not to disturb the eggs already in the pot. Set the timer for 3 minutes.
  • Once the three minutes have passed, take the eggs out of the water and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel, and it set aside.
  • Discard the water and wipe out the skillet you used to cook the eggs in. Add the remaining butter and Aleppo pepper flakes. Add a pinch of salt and let the butter melt and get acquainted with the pepper flakes, this shouldn’t take more than a minute.
  • By now, the rosti should be done. Once again, place a plate on top of the rosti and invert the pan. Transfer the plate with the rosti to the counter and top with the yogurt you made earlier. Place the poached eggs on top of the yogurt and drizzle with the chili butter. Finish the dish with fresh mint leaves and blossoms. Serve immediately.

Notes

** If you can’t find Aleppo pepper, you can substitute a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and a teaspoon of paprika. Or you can use the Korean red pepper flakes gochugaru, I know from experience it’s a very good stand-in.
Keyword Aleppo pepper, Garlic, mint, poached eggs, potatoes, yogurt