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Cholera — traditional dish from Upper Valais, Switzerland
Main course Vegetarian

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥760kcal
💪24gProtein
🌾82gCarbs
🥑38gFat
🌿9gFibre
⚖️400 gServing

* Per serving · 400 g. May vary.

Allergens

🌾 Gluten 🥛 Dairy

Cholera

How to order / say it
Say it Cholera — [koh-LAY-rah]
Order A slice of Cholera pie, please.
Locally Ein Stück Cholera, bitte.
Say locally

A Valais pastry pie layers potatoes, leeks, apples, and cheese in a crisp crust.

Why try it?

Cholera tells a memorable story of mountain frugality: pantry vegetables, fruit, and cheese were enclosed in pastry so nothing was wasted. Its appearance in Zermatt connects the resort to the older domestic cooking of the Valais highlands.

How it tastes

The crust is crisp and buttery, enclosing soft potatoes and leeks with melted cheese. Apples bring a subtle sweet-tart note that brightens the savory filling.

Origin & History — first documented: 1850

Cholera is associated with the Upper Valais and is generally linked to household cooking during the cholera epidemics of the 1830s and 1850s. Its name is often explained by the need to cook indoors during quarantine, though the exact origin story is debated. By the late 19th century it had become a recognized regional pie, now served in Zermatt as a traditional Valais specialty.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🌾 400 g shortcrust pastry
  • 🥕 350 g potatoes
  • 🥕 250 g leeks
  • 🥕 180 g apples
  • 🥛 180 g raclette cheese
  • 🥛 35 g butter
  • 🧄 80 g onion
  • 🧂 5 g salt
  • 🧂 2 g black pepper

Method

  1. 1 Roll out half the pastry and line a buttered pie dish.
  2. 2 Sauté onion and leeks in butter until softened.
  3. 3 Layer sliced potatoes, leeks, apples, and cheese with seasoning.
  4. 4 Cover with the remaining pastry, seal, and vent the top.
  5. 5 Bake at 190°C until deeply golden, then rest before slicing.

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All Europe recipes — Switzerland — Zermatt — Cholera
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