Tartiflette

by Alex Jackson, featured in Frontières: The Food of France’s Borderlands

Published by Pavilion Books

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Introduction

Along with raclette and fondue, tartiflette is one of Savoie’s most famous dishes, a gratin of potatoes, onions, bacon and the local Reblochon cheese. Its origins are a little confused. The name undoubtedly derives from the local patois for potato, tartiflâ, and tartiflette was first mentioned in a 1705 book written by the chef Francois Massialot, Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois: there a recipe more similar to the local péla, a simpler dish of potatoes, bacon and onions, named after the spade-like long-handled pan in which it was cooked.

The modern recipe was developed as a marketing strategy by cheese producers looking to sell more of their Reblochon and this is the version that the ski resorts have made famous. Bravo lads! There’s no arguing that it’s delicious. This version follows fairly closely the ‘official’ recipe of the Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Reblochon.

As featured in

Frontières: The Food of France’s Borderlands

Image of Alex Jackson's Tartiflette — Photo by Charlotte Bland

Ingredients

Serves: 2-4 depending on levels of gluttony

Metric Cups

750 grams potatoes (a red variety, between waxy and floury, is best)
150 grams bacon lardons (smoked for preference)
2 knobs of unsalted butter
1 onion (finely sliced)
1 glass of white wine
About 3 tablespoons creme fraiche (or 6 tbsp if you have no double cream)
About 3 tablespoons double cream (or 6 tbsp if you have no creme fraîche)
olive oil
A half-wheel - approx 250 grams - of reblochon cheese
salt

1lb 10 ounces potatoes (a red variety, between waxy and floury, is best)
5½ ounces bacon lardons (smoked for preference)
2 knobs of unsalted butter
1 onion (finely sliced)
1 glass of white wine
About 3 tablespoons creme fraiche (or 6 tbsp if you have no double cream)
About 3 tablespoons heavy cream (or 6 tbsp if you have no creme fraîche)
olive oil
A half-wheel - approx 9 ounces - of reblochon cheese
salt

Method

Tartiflette is a guest recipe by Alex Jackson so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/ gas mark 6.
Peel then cut the potatoes into 1.5-cm/⅝-in pieces. Simmer them in a saucepan of lightly salted water until just cooked, then drain and allow to steam.
Meanwhile, fry the lardons in a roomy frying pan. When the fat is rendered, add a knob of butter and the onion slices with a little pinch of salt. Fry slowly until soft and golden brown. Add the white wine, simmer for a minute until reduced to 2 tablespoons, add the cream(s) and a good 2 tablespoons of water. Mix well, then pour this tasty mixture into a bowl and rinse and dry the pan.
When the potatoes have steamed dry they can be fried. Reheat the clean pan, add a little oil and the remaining knob of butter and saute the potatoes over a medium-high heat. They should brown and crisp up nicely without being crunchy all the way though. Once browned, transfer the potatoes to a gratin dish big enough to fit all the potatoes without them spilling out the top. Pour over the onion/bacon mixture and mix a bit. Slice the cheese with the rind on and lay over the top of the gratin.
Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese has browned and melted fully. Eat hot, with a green salad and wine to wash it down.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/ gas mark 6.
Peel then cut the potatoes into 1.5-cm/⅝-in pieces. Simmer them in a saucepan of lightly salted water until just cooked, then drain and allow to steam.
Meanwhile, fry the lardons in a roomy frying pan. When the fat is rendered, add a knob of butter and the onion slices with a little pinch of salt. Fry slowly until soft and golden brown. Add the white wine, simmer for a minute until reduced to 2 tablespoons, add the cream(s) and a good 2 tablespoons of water. Mix well, then pour this tasty mixture into a bowl and rinse and dry the pan.
When the potatoes have steamed dry they can be fried. Reheat the clean pan, add a little oil and the remaining knob of butter and saute the potatoes over a medium-high heat. They should brown and crisp up nicely without being crunchy all the way though. Once browned, transfer the potatoes to a gratin dish big enough to fit all the potatoes without them spilling out the top. Pour over the onion/bacon mixture and mix a bit. Slice the cheese with the rind on and lay over the top of the gratin.
Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese has browned and melted fully. Eat hot, with a green salad and wine to wash it down.