Tartiflette Recipe

 

Tartiflette is serious French comfort food, I adore good cheese and potato recipes, add smoked bacon and I'm there. Tartiflette has all three and many people add cream as well. But if enough Reblochon is used,the cheese makes a really creamy sauce by itself.

 

 

 

 

My friend Cheryl Pasquier who I knew before blogging days shared her recipe with me when we had a discussion about Dauphinoise potatoes and cheese, me being an Irish girl, who potatoes are a staple diet, her an English girl living in France and that is how my love for this French dish came about.

 

 

  

Tartiflette comes from a region in the French Alps called Savoie, the absolute star of the dish is Reblochon cheese, the word after googling comes from the French word 'reblocher' which means to pinch a cows udder again. This was to hold back the first milk as in the 14th century landowners taxed the French farmers for the yield of milk, so holding back the milk saved them money. The second milk was richer and made a good cheese, Reblochon. Tax avoidance has its benefits!

 

Now I warn you it is a very ripe pongy cheese, not one to have a sniff of for freshness, once in the oven the aroma will make you realize how good it is going to be. It is seriously tasty once melted and oozing all over the potatoes and bacon.

 

You may be asking "Where can I buy Reblochon in the UK?" Its been a toughie for me, but recently Waitrose always has it, Tesco on occasion, I did see it it a larger Sainsbury store also. I always keep an eye out for French markets as its often sold on the delicatessen stalls!

Its pricey in the UK, but  worth the investment as the dish is so calorie laden, you may not want to eat regularly.

 

I believe Camembert can be used in Tartiflette, I love the rich Reblochon flavour so much I wouldn't swap, but if you have tried both, let me know!

 

 

Tartiflette I have now made many times, glug of white wine, I make it in layers as it looks more appealing. I cut the fat off the bacon, the only non fattening concession! Its a recipe that really does not need measurement,but buy a round of cheese, Waitrose sell it it half moon portions, so you need two.

I add garlic and a

 

Tartiflette

 

Ingredients

 

6 medium potatoes unpeeled

2 packs of smoked bacon

2 onions sliced

2 cloves garlic (optional)

Glug of white wine (optional)

Whole Reblochon cheese.

 

Put the oven on 200C fan or 220C, Gas mark 7.

Wash the potatoes and slice into thick slices,cook in boiling water for about 10 minutes, until soft but still slightly underdone.

 

Meanwhile fry onions, I use Frylight as there is enough fat in the dish and every little helps!

When onions have started to soften, add the bacon and garlic and cook until the bacon is cooked and onions nicely soft and caramelised.

 

 

In a suitable ovenproof dish, mine measures 20cm x 20cm, 6cm deep, (optional sprayed with  a little Frylight in to stop a mammoth unsticking and scrubbing after) place half the potatoes in a layer.

 

Top with half the bacon mix, I season with pepper, then the final layer of potatoes and again the bacon.

 

 

Finally the Reblochon, cut through the middle so the soft cheese is exposed, you will have four  semi circles, place rind up,this allows the cheese to melt and pour through to make a creamy sauce.

 

 

Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese has a light golden colour. If preparing earlier in the day lower the temperature to about 180C fan etc and cook for 20-25 minutes.

 

 

Serve with a green salad and a glass of white wine!

 

Bon Apetit!