Originally created by Chef Michael Romano of the Union Square Cafe—and introduced to Bittman over 30 years ago—this recipe proves that everything tastes better in pancake form. From How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition and discussed in Vol. 1 of The Bite With Mark Bittman, this makes for a uniquely delicious holiday side dish that may just outshine the main course.
If you feel like getting creative, there are a couple Bittman-approved variations from the original recipe:
- Beet Rösti with Parmesan: Omit the rosemary if you prefer and add 1 cup grated Parmesan in Step 2.
- Carrot and Onion Rösti: Substitute carrots for the beets. Grate 1 large onion and squeeze out the excess liquid. Proceed from Step 2.
Beet Rösti With Rosemary
Meet your new favorite side dish.
Mark Bittman
Trim the beets and peel them as you would potatoes. Grate them in a food processor or by hand.
Toss the grated beets in a bowl with the rosemary and salt, then add about half the flour; toss well, add the rest of the flour, then toss again.
Put a medium-to-large ProCoat or CeramiClad™ Non Stick Frying Pan over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp. of the butter, and cook until it foams. Scrape the beet mixture into the pan and press it down with a spatula to reach the edges. Adjust the heat so that the pancake sizzles without burning and cook until the bottom of the beet cake is crisped and releases, 6—8 minutes. Slide the cake out onto a plate, add the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter to the pan, and set it back over the heat.
Top the pancake with another plate, invert the two plates, and slide the cake back into the pan. Continue to cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the second side is browned, another 6—8 minutes. Cut into wedges, sprinkle with more salt if you like, and serve.
Mark Bittman is the author of more than 30 acclaimed books, including the How to Cook Everything series and the #1 New York Times bestseller VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good. Over his long career at The New York Times, Bittman wrote for both the food and opinion pages, and was the lead Magazine food writer. He has received six James Beard Awards, four IACP Awards, and numerous other honors. Together with daughter Kate Bittman, he has hosted the podcast Food with Mark Bittman since 2021.
Bittman is currently special advisor on food policy at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, where he teaches and hosts a lecture series. His most recent books beyond the How to Cook Everything Series are How to Eat; Animal, Vegetable, Junk; and Bittman Bread. If you're hungry for more from Mark, catch him at The Bittman Project.
