The Pyttipannu transforms into many things – a luxury pytti, a vegetarian version and an Asian pan
The pot roaster changes depending on the situation. Sometimes it's used to fry leftovers from the previous meal, sometimes carefully selected ingredients.
The Finnish word “pyttipannu” is derived from the Swedish term “pytt i panna” meaning small pieces in a pan. It aptly describes this globally known dish, as the pan is used to fry small chopped, often cooked or quickly cooked, ingredients left over from the previous meal.
1. The nobleman of the pots and pans
However, the pot roast is not just a leftover dish from the previous days. At the other extreme is the classic, Rydberg's steak, which can be called the nobility of pot roasts.
Rydberg steak is often made with beef tenderloin and boiled potatoes. Rydberg steak was served at the end of the 19th century at the Stockholm fine hotel Hôtel Rydberg, where the elements of the dish were arranged in their own sectors on the plate, and the customer mixed the dish himself. The original Rydberg steak did not include pickled beets or pickles, but was finished with grated horseradish, egg yolk, mustard cream and chopped parsley.
The recipe below deviates slightly from the original. The potatoes are fried in a generous amount of butter, seasoned with thyme, and served with pickles as a side dish.
If you wish, you can mix a mustard sauce according to the classic recipe with crème fraîche, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar and salt.
2. Vegan pie
Boiled potatoes, ripe beetroot (available in vacuum packs in the grocery store) and veggie sausage make an incredibly tasty vegan pot pie. The taste is finished off with a sauce made from freshly grated horseradish and oat cream.
If you have leftover roasted vegetables from a previous meal, they are a great addition to this casserole.
The paninis are always fried at a fairly high heat, and it is best to stir the frying only infrequently by lifting it with a spatula - this way the frying surface will become wonderfully crispy.
3. Asian version
In Asia, pyttipannu is often made from grated potatoes, and it is somewhat similar to our Finnish rösti potatoes. The grated potatoes are rinsed with cold water in a sieve to remove excess starch. The fried grated potatoes then become nicely crispy and remain loose when fried.
A pot roast is made more delicious with cooked chicken, which can be leftover chicken steaks from a previous meal, grilled chicken from a roasting point, or even cold cuts. The taste of the pot roast is finished with a sweet and salty sauce, to which Sriracha chili sauce adds just the right amount of heat.
The story was previously published in Helsingin Sanomat.
