Älplermagronen

A hearty Alpine bake of macaroni, potato, cream and cheese, topped with crispy fried onions and served with apple sauce.

Älplermagronen, meaning "Alpine herder's macaroni," was traditionally cooked by Swiss cattle herders during summer months spent up in Alpine pastures, using ingredients that were easy to carry and store at altitude — dried pasta, potatoes and cheese. Its unusual but beloved pairing with apple sauce on the side is thought to have started as a way to add sweetness and freshness to a rich, heavy meal using whatever fruit was available. It remains one of the most iconic dishes of Swiss mountain and herder cooking.

The dish combines macaroni and diced potato cooked together, layered with cream and cheese, and topped with a generous amount of fried onion. It is always served with a side of apple sauce, which is essential, not optional.