Guest post by David Anderson…we just call him Dad.

Women are free to make this dish of course, but I commend the potato rosti to you men. It is simple; less a recipe, more a project. Men get projects.

To feed four people, take two large baking potatoes and wash them. Sometimes I use the dish-washing scrubber to strip those suckers clean. Then I dry them with a paper towel.

Now take a box grater and shred the potatoes, skins and all. If you are a tools and equipment kind of guy, use the grating wheel on your food processor. Me, I hate to clean the thing for so slight a use, and the truth is I like the feeling of muscling these spuds to shreds.

Now you are looking at a nice white pile of potato ribbons flecked with brown. It’s okay to pause a moment and admire your work. I do. When you are ready, it is time to drain these things. I enjoy this. The gross draining is done by hand. Grab a fistful of the stuff and squeeze it over a bowl. Harder. You want to get each fistful as dry as possible, then set it aside. When you go to pour the excess liquid down the drain, you might be surprised at how quickly the potato starch has fallen to the bottom of the bowl and formed a nearly geological strata of white stone. Yes, potatoes stick to your ribs.

To get the last liquid out of the shreds, lay down a double layer of paper towels, spread the potatoes evenly, then lay a double towel layer on top. Roll it up tightly, even pound it a bit to force the liquid into the towels. If your pile is too big, roll in two batches.

Once you shake the dry shreds out of the towels, you are ready to cook. I usually use a medium, 10-inch non-stick skillet, though if you are making a bigger pancake (or you like them thinner and crispier) you can use something larger. Over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter (or olive oil) in the pan and add the potatoes, tamping it down to form a firm cake.

How long do you leave it to brown? I don’t know. It depends on how much liquid you managed to squeeze out. Leave it for ten minutes, then take a peek. If it’s nice and brown, it is time to turn. Place a dinner plate over the skillet and flip it upside down. Add another tablespoon of oil, then slide it back into the skillet. Once I brown that side, I often reduce the heat and flip it again and once more. Giving it time over low heat makes it browner and crispier, which is the way I like it.

When it is done, slide the rosti onto a cutting board, sprinkle generously with S & P and slice it up. It’s the perfect potato to go alongside a steak, or a chop, the juices of which soak into the rosti.

Well done, men. The women can take the rest of the meal from here.