Swiss comfort food for the grater good

Ask a dozen people what their ultimate comfort food is, and you'll get a dozen different answers. For me, the answer would change depending on season and mood, but it would often involve potatoes. (One day, perhaps, I'll find non-carby things comforting, but not today.)

I boil and bake and roast them (sometimes in combination), and, of course, I pan-fry them. I cube them to make hash browns, I grate them for latkes. Or I'll treat the latter a little differently and make rosti, which is basically the Swiss equivalent of latkes.

Rosti isn't quite all about the crunch the way great latkes are (or should be, IMO); these potato cakes - mixed with parsley and lots of soft onions - get touches of lacy-crispness on their outer edges, but are wonderfully soft inside.

To make a meal of them? Spoon sauteed mushrooms over a couple rosti, top with a poached egg, and get comfortable.

• Joe Yonan is the Food and Dining editor of The Washington Post and the author of "Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook."