Cholera (food)



In the Valais region of Switzerland, a cholera is a type of savoury dish involving potatoes, vegetables and fruits baked with cheese in a pastry similar to a tart.

The unusual name is linked to the history of the dish. During an epidemic of the disease cholera in 1836, people in the region improvised a dish involving pastry and whatever food they had at hand, as normal trade was disrupted. After the epidemic subsided, chefs returned to the concept of putting regional ingredients in a savoury tart, and the "cholera" dish has lasted since.

Originally, the local ingredients for such a dish were apples, pears, potatoes, onions, leeks, raclette cheese (usually Gomser) and bacon. The dish is not well known in Switzerland today.