Bölleherdöpfel
A layer of potatoes, a layer of creamy onions, and cheese on top, this traditional side dish from canton Zürich is pure comfort food.
The name says exactly what it is: Bölle, a dialect word for onions, and Herdöpfel, a dialect word for potatoes (for an in-depth look at where exactly the dialect words differ throughout the country, check out the Kleiner Sprachatlas der deutschen Schweiz).
I discovered this dish in Marianne Kaltenbach’s Aus Schweizer Küchen, where she mentions it in connection with the Gasthof Adler in Rorbas ZH, which has been around since 1406 and, during Kaltenbach’s time, was a hot-spot for traditional cantonal cooking.
(The Adler still exists today, and you can see evidence of its age in its beautiful half-timber interior, though not in its menu which seems like pretty standard Swiss Gasthof fare.)
I’ve adjusted Kaltenbach’s original recipe slightly, upping the onions and milk, reducing the wine, and leaving off an extra splash of cream and butter flakes at the end. It is easily adjustable and works well with leftover Gschwellti.
600 g boiled potatoes, sliced in rounds
knob of butter
250 g onions, minced
1 tbsp flour
splash of white wine or sherry
300 ml milk
nutmeg, salt and pepper
150 g grated cheese
Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F / gas mark 6.
Butter a large casserole dish, then place the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom. Set aside.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter and when it starts to splutter, add the onions. Fry until they are translucent, then add the flour and stir well. Add the white wine or sherry (or water).
Add the milk and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes, stirring, until the sauce has thickened nicely.
Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Pour over the potatoes in the casserole dish, then sprinkle the cheese over top.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has browned to your liking.
Gschwellti (small boiled potatoes) are perfect for this dish and easy to slice after a night in the fridge. They are the typical spuds that you see served with raclette, fondue or on their own in the classic dish Gschwellti and Chäs (or Quark).
The milk can be easily substituted for broth, and you can also leave out the wine or sherry, of desired.
Gruyère or other hard (Swiss) cheeses work well, or even cheddar or mozzarella.
Now some veg?
Spargel nach Walliser Art
