Gommär Cholera – Cheese & Onion Pie from Goms
Gömmar Cholera – A Vegetarian Pie and Speciality from Goms
Earlier this Summer I had the pleasure of visiting a delightful and unspoilt area of Switzerland called Goms and you can read all about it here). One evening we visited the Hotel Walser in Ulrichen, Goms and enjoyed a really delicious speciality from the region, which goes by the unlikely name of Cholera!!! I liked it so much, I asked the manager of the hotel, Andy, if we would mind sharing it with me and you can now find the recipe below.
The History of Gömmar Cholera
Gömmar Cholera (also known as Walliser Cholera), is a traditional savory pie from the Goms region in Valais (Wallis). Despite its unusual name, it’s completely safe to eat! The name is believed to come from the 1830s cholera epidemic, during which people stayed home and made this pie using the only readily available ingredients they had, like flour, onions, apples, potatoes and cheese. Another theory links the name to the Valais-German word for coal, “Chola,” as the pie was often cooked in coal embers.
The pie varies by region, with some versions using shortcrust and other using puff pastry, like the one we tried. Some versions also add ingredients like pears. They all tend to use Gomser Käse, which is a type of raclette cheese from Goms. This dish is typically vegetarian, but bacon can be added if desired.
So why not give it a try?
Recipe for Gommär Cholera
Ingredients (4 people)
• 500 g puff pastry
• 40 g butter
• 250 g raclette potatoes
• 250 g apples peeled and grated
• 250 g onions sliced into rings
• 250 g Valais raclette cheese AOP
• Salt and pepper
Method
- Steam the onion rings, then add salt and pepper and drain in a sieve.
- Squeeze the grated apples. It is important that there is as little liquid as possible in the ingredients to keep the dough crispy.
- Cut the peeled potatoes into slices about 3 mm thick and cook.
- Grate the fresh raclette cheese.
- Line a 5 cm plate with the rolled out puff pastry.
- Cover with onions, then a layer of apples and then the potato slices. Cover everything generously with the cheese. When layering, don’t be stingy with the filling. It is important that the cheese is on top. This way it can melt nicely over the potatoes when baking.
- Finally, cover the ingredients of the pied with a layer of puff pastry.
- Bake the “Cholera” pies at 180 degrees for around 50 minutes until dark golden.
You can find the recipe in German below:
Gommär Cholera
Zutaten (4 personen)
- 500 g Blätterteig
- 40 g Butter
- 250 g Raclette-Kartoffeln
- 250 g Äpfel
- 250 g Zwiebeln
- 250 g Walliser Raclette-Käse AOP
- Salz und Pfeffer
Zubereitung
Zuerst die Zwiebelringe andämpfen. Damit sie zusätzlich Wasser verlieren, salzen und pfeffern und in einem Sieb abtropfen lassen.
Auch die geraffelten Äpfel auspressen. Es ist wichtig, dass möglichst wenig Flüssigkeit in den Zutaten sind. Nur so wird der Teig auch knusprig.
Die geschälten Kartoffeln in ca. 3 mm dicke Scheiben schneiden und kochen.
Nun braucht es noch den geraffelten, rezenten Raclettekäse.
Mit dem ausgewallten Blätterteig eine gut fünf Zentimeter hohe Form auskleiden.
Beim Einschichten nicht mit der Füllung geizen. Die Zwiebeln auslegen, dann folgt darauf eine Schicht Äpfel und dann die Kartoffelscheiben. Alles grosszügig mit dem Käse bedecken. Zum Schluss den Kuchen mit einer Schicht Blätterteig abdecken.
Es ist wichtig, dass der Käse zuoberst ist. So kann er beim Backen schön über die Kartoffeln fliessen
Dann die Cholera bei 180 Grad ca. 50 min dunkelbraun backen.
Än Güätä!
With thanks to Andy from Hotel Walser in Ulrichen, Goms
If you’re interested in visiting Goms in Switzerland, find out all about it in this article.
*** Recipes You Make Like ***
*******************************
