Potato Rosti Cakes with Chipotle Apple Slaw Crunch
Grated potato cakes fried until crisp, then served with apple, cabbage, lime and chipotle slaw. A structured potato side for saucy ribs, giving crunch, freshness and smoky warmth without another heavy dressing.
Ingredients
For the rosti cakes
- 850 g potatoes peeled
- 1 small onion grated
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
- 10 g chives finely chopped
- For the chipotle apple slaw
- 1 crisp apple cut into matchsticks
- 120 g white cabbage finely shredded
- 1 small carrot grated
- 1 spring onion finely sliced
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp chipotle paste
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- Pinch of salt
- 10 g coriander roughly chopped
Instructions
Grate the potatoes and onion
- Grate the potatoes and onion, then pile them into a clean tea towel. Twist hard over the sink to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Keep going longer than feels necessary. Moisture is the enemy here.
Mix the rosti base
- Tip the squeezed potato and onion into a bowl. Add the egg, flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic granules and chives. Mix with a fork until everything is evenly coated.
Shape the cakes
- Divide the mixture into 8 small cakes. Press them firmly into flat rounds about 1.5cm thick. Don’t make them too tall, or the outside will brown before the middle cooks.
Fry until golden
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the rosti cakes for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until crisp, golden and cooked through. Work in batches if needed.
Drain and keep warm
- Transfer the cooked rosti cakes to kitchen paper, then keep them warm in a low oven while you finish the batch. Don’t stack them or they’ll steam and soften.
Make the chipotle apple slaw
- Stir the mayonnaise, Greek yoghurt, chipotle paste, lime juice, honey and salt in a bowl. Add the apple, cabbage, carrot, spring onion and coriander. Toss lightly so everything is coated but still crisp.
Top and serve
- Place the rosti cakes on a platter and spoon the slaw over the top, or serve it alongside if you want to keep the cakes extra crisp. Eat while the potato edges are still crackly.
Notes
Use starchy potatoes if you want lacy, crisp edges. Maris Piper works well. Waxy potatoes hold together, but they don’t give the same crackly outside. The important bit is squeezing out moisture after grating. Wet grated potato makes soft cakes, and soft cakes make me grumpy.
The apple should be crisp and slightly sharp. Braeburn, Jazz, Granny Smith or Pink Lady all work. Avoid soft apples, as they go woolly in the slaw. Chipotle paste brings smoke and warmth rather than raw chilli fire, which is exactly what I want beside ribs. It nods towards the barbecue without copying the rib glaze.
Nutrition
Calories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 760mgPotassium: 980mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1250IUCalcium: 72mgIron: 2.6mg
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