Rosti or hashbrown?

It's a busy cooking class and you have enthusiastically described one of today's dishes, broad bean risotto. The kids are all excited, they LOVE risotto, they don't really care what is in it as long as there is rice and CHEESE!  You go to the freezer to get the last of the frozen broad beans from last months harvest, and they have all been used in the other classes.... NOOOOO!   What to do, what to do and QUICK!   There are some potatoes over there, potato rosti, kids love potato, and we can still use the cheese that is sitting there.  I did potato rosti at TAFE last week, and we did it a bit differently to how I was previously  taught. These were super crunchy.  I remember loving them when I was growing up (and now!), but they were always a little soggy.  We made them in class and they turned out awesome and crunchy.  The kids then got them at home for tea, still awesome and crunchy.  This new way is a WINNER!  So now I'm thinking, what is the difference between a rosti and the hash brown I grew up eating?  After a google search apparently the only difference is adding onion to the potato in a hash brown.   Anyone know any other differences?

Crunchy rosti with home made tomato sauce.

The trick to super crunchy rosti? Par boil the potatoes!

Grate them and squish them down flat. 

Shallow fry in a combination of oil and butter (but watch that the butter doesn't burn).

 

Grated parmesan cheese, salt & pepper or herbs mixed through the potato

prior to cooking are delicious additions.