Wurst Eintopf
This is a quick, one-dish meal featuring seasonal tomatoes and herbs (and lots of sausage).
Its ease is in the name—ein Topf, one pot. There are plenty of great Swiss Eintopfs (my favourite is definitely Schnitz and Drunder: a big pot of bacon, potatoes and apples), and this version was inspired by a recipe for Weier-Eitopf that I found in Fritz Gfeller’s Rezept aus dem Emmental, another sausage-heavy one-pot meal.
Gfeller uses bacon, Berner Zungenwurst (despite the name, this doesn’t actually contain tongue), and ham in his dish—my version has just one sausage, but feel free to use more.
I used sausage from Metzgerei Nyffenegger in Neumühle, whose saftige (juicy) Schwartenwurst is regionally beloved. Schwartenwurst is a Bernese specialty, but many other sausages would work here—you could use the classic Romandie sausages like Saucisson Vaudois, Saucisse aux Choux Vaudois, or Boutefas, or even chorizo or merguez.
Or do as Gfeller does and go with pork—both bacon and ham would suit.
Along with tripling the variety of meats, Gfeller’s Eintopf also has an eggy custard to bind it. I like this dish without, letting the sausages add moisture and the cheese hold everything together.
My favourite part of Gfeller’s recipe is his recommendation to cut everything in ‘Fünflibergrösse’, the size of a Swiss five franc piece.
600 g boiled potatoes (Gschwellti)
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful of fresh herbs, minced
300 g sausage, sliced in rounds
5-6 medium tomatoes, sliced
150 g hard cheese, grated
nutmeg, salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F / gas mark 6.
Slice the potatoes in rounds.
Mix together the onion, garlic and herbs.
In a large casserole dish, place half the potatoes on the bottom, then top with half the tomato mixture, half the onion mixture, then all the sausages.
Place the rest of the potatoes on top, then the onion mixture, then the tomatoes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Top with the grated cheese and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
If you have boiling sausages (like Schwartenwurst or those mentioned above from the Romandie), it is best to boil them first (according to their packaging/the butcher), let them cool, then slice and add to the Eintopf.
This dish is great for using up leftover sausage.
You can easily vary the meat layer, using bacon, ham or a mix, instead of just sausage.
Another one-pot?
Nidwaldner Bohneneintopf
