Tartiflette
There is something irresistible about a comforting dish of potatoes especially when cheese and bacon are added into the mix. If you love potatoes as much as I do, and you’ve never had tartiflette prepare to be amazed.
Tartiflette is a rich, cozy potato gratin dish from Savoy in the French Alps. Made with bacon, onions and topped with cheese it is definitely not a dish for calorie counters!
Often served as an après-ski meal, it’s the perfect winter dish to indulge in after a day spent outdoors whether you have been skiing, skating, or tobogganing!
Making tartiflette is really quite simple.
Cook the potatoes, sauté the bacon and onions, then layer everything in a baking or gratin dish and top with cheese. Of course, no French dish would be complete without a little white wine and a touch of cream as well.
The tartiflette is baked until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden.
A nice crisp salad to serve alongside and dinner is ready!
The cheese
A classic tartiflette is made with Reblochon, a French raw cow’s milk cheese made in the Alpine region of Savoy. Reblochon has a nice creamy texture and a delicate nutty flavour.
If you can’t find Reblochon (or looking for a slightly less expensive option!) substitute another semi-soft cheese that has a brie, or camembert-like texture, and that melts well or use a mixture of Raclette and Gruyère cheese.
I’ve found Oka, a semi-soft washed rind cheese from Quebec to be an excellent substitute. Although not quite as creamy as Reblochon, it melts well and has a nice light nutty flavour.
Make ahead
The potatoes, bacon and onion can be cooked ahead of time and assembled in a baking dish, then refrigerated until ready to bake.
Bring the tartiflette to room temperature and add the cheese just before baking.
Ingredients
- 800 grams Yukon Gold potatoes
- 250 grams bacon cut crosswise into small pieces/ lardons
- 1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine or vermouth
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- freshly ground black pepper
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 300 grams semi soft cheese cut into 1.5 cm thick slices (reblochon, gruyere, oka, or port salut)
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes well and cut into 1-1½cm thick slices. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook the potatoes until just fork tender about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Sauté the bacon/lardons in a skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp. Using a slotted spoon transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are completely cooked and just beginning to take on colour, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer. Remove from the heat and add add the wine or vermouth to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Butter a one liter gratin or baking dish. Place half of the potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish. Season with freshly ground pepper and half of the thyme leaves. Strew half of the onion mixture over the potatoes and half of the bacon.
- Season very lightly with salt (the cheese and bacon will add a fair amount of salt) and freshly ground black pepper. Scatter half of the onion mixture and bacon over top.Lay the remaining potatoes in a single level over top and season with pepper and the rest of the thyme, then finish with the rest of the onion and bacon. Spoon the heavy cream over top. Note: The Tartiflette can be assembled to this point( minus the cheese) ahead of time and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature Bring to room temperature before baking.
- Place the sliced cheese in a a single layer on top. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.