Älplermagronen

Method

1. Start with the applesauce. Peel, core and cut the apples into 2 cm pieces and put them in a 16 cm saucepan with the water and sugar. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15 min, until a fork squashes them easily, then mash roughly with a fork and leave to cool.

   Add in this stepTart apples 2Sugar (for the applesauce) 2 tspWater (for the applesauce) 50 ml

   medium-low heat

2. Halve the onions and slice them thinly. Melt the butter in a 24 cm frying pan, add the onions and cook on medium heat for 12 min, stirring often, until deep brown and slightly crisp at the edges. Tip onto a plate. If they darken too fast, turn the heat down a notch.

   Add in this stepButter 20 gOnions 1

   medium heat

3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a 20 cm pot on high heat, add the salt and potatoes and boil for 5 min.

   Add in this stepWater (for boiling) 1½ LSalt 1½ tspWaxy potatoes 240 g

   high heat

4. Add the macaroni to the same pot and boil on medium-high heat for 10 min more, stirring now and then. When the pasta still has a slight bite and a knife slides easily into the potatoes, drain everything in a colander.

   Add in this stepMacaroni (short tube pasta) 160 g

   medium-high heat

5. Return the potatoes and macaroni to the empty pot, add the cream, milk, nutmeg and pepper and warm on medium-low heat for 3 min. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring with a spatula until it melts into a thick, clinging sauce. If it gets too stiff, loosen with a splash more milk.

   Add in this stepDouble or heavy cream 120 mlMilk 80 mlGround nutmeg 1 pinchBlack pepper to tasteGruyère or Appenzeller, grated 100 g

   medium-low heat

6. Spoon onto warm plates and pile the fried onions on top. Serve the cool applesauce alongside and eat a little with each forkful: the sweet-tart apple is what makes the rich, salty cheese sing.