The Gratest Potato

With the end of November within sight, the holidays are just around the bend. I figure, we at Dedicated to Deliciousness should start posting some recipes that will inspire some awesome holiday feasts. So here is a very simple recipe that requires few ingredients, and has a tasty outcome. A slight twist to a Swiss Rösti, sweet potatoes are used instead of a regular spud, but you could definitely use either. The sweet potato increases the nutritious factor though, and definitely ups the delicious factor, as well. 

The addictive quality of food increases significantly when it is shredded, grated, pulled, shaved, julienned, minced, crumbled, whatever. It's a fact. These methods expose more surface are to the taste buds than, say, simply biting into a chunk of the food. It also makes it look more interesting too.

You will need:
2 Large sweet potatoes, grated
2 Eggs, beaten
2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1 Medium Onion, very thinly sliced, julienned or if you have a food processor, grated
Couple springs of fresh rosemary
Sour cream or mayonaisse
Splash of vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While that heats up, squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the grated sweet potatoes. Use your hands working in batches or throw the whole load into a clean kitchen towel and press the liquid out, using the towel as a strainer. Then toss the strained potatoes in a large mixing bowl, followed by the onion, and half of the cheese. Add some finely chopped rosemary for a little something extra if you're into that. Then slowly pour in the beaten eggs as you mix everything together with yours hands.

Splash some oil in a deep baking pan or dish and grease it up with a brush or paper towel. Dump the whole mixture right in the pan and spread around evenly, but try not to compress the potatoes too much. Throw it in the oven for 15-20 minutes, pull it out, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, until it is golden brown and the edges are crispy.

Cut into squares and garnish with a dollop or sour cream, or mayonaisse if you want a heavier flavour, and a small sprig of rosemary. Makes for a great side dish or a course by itself. 

Inhale.