Kürbis Rösti (Pumpkin Hash Browns)

Ever since discovering it on our first trip to Switzerland, we’ve been hooked on Rösti. Since that trip, we’ve made countless classic renditions with potato, but we’ve also experimented with some less traditional versions. This falls into the latter category. It’s also the first time that we have ever shredded raw pumpkin to use in a savory dish (although it will not be the last…stay tuned for more!). In the end, this dish ended up crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and had a distinct pumpkiny flavour that was a big hit!

We served our Kürbis Rösti with Maple Butter Fried Pork and wilted spinach. If you’re serving this with wilted spinach, make sure you use a lot more raw spinach than you think you need…we always grossly underestimate (not proud).

Time: 30-45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• Fresh Pumpkin
• Salt
• Potato Starch or Corn Starch (To help hold your pumpkin together)

Method:

• Break down your pumpkin, and cut a few of the slices into chunks.
• Either grate them with a box grater (difficult) or your food processor’s shredding plate (use the one with the bigger holes).
• Working one handful at a time, scoop some of your shredded pumpkin, and squeeze as much water out as you possibly can over your sink. Then, place the shreds into a bowl. Continue to do this until you’ve gotten through all of your shredded pumpkin.
• Stir some salt into your bowl.
• Working a teaspoon at a time, sprinkle in your potato or corn starch, and stir to incorporate. Keep doing this until your shredded pumpkin clumps together nicely. For us, it took 3-4 teaspoons.
• Heat up some butter in a cast iron pan (we used two small ones so we would have perfectly rounded servings). When it stops bubbling, add in your pumpkin mixture, and press it down into the pan.
• Cook for about 7 minutes over medium heat. Then, put a large plate atop your pan, and flip the plate and the pan together (oven proof gloves are key here) so that your pumpkin transfers onto the plate.
• Melt more butter into your pan(s), and then carefully slide your Rösti back into the pan. This time, the side that had been on top will now be on bottom to get crispy. Cook for another 7-8 minutes.
• Flip onto your plate(s), devour, and enjoy!