Tartiflette (French Savoie)

Quick and simple to make, the tartiflette is a perfect winter dish which requires a single specific ingredient - reblochon cheese, produced in Savoie region in Eastern France. The first step is to prepare the potatoes: they can either be cooked in their skin or peeled and fried with onions and bacon in a skillet. The mixture is then braised with white wine and placed in a baking pan with Reblochon cheese. Half the amount of the cheese goes in the mixture, and the other half covers the top following the French gratin technique, which allows the cheese to melt over the top during baking. The baking temperature is usually between 180- 200˚C, and the dish is served hot with a side of lettuce.

Inspired by a rustic dish péla des Aravis, tartiflette was developed in the 1980s by the Union Interprofessional Reblochon, a French cheesemakers' organization whose goal was to promote reblochon cheese from the Alpine Savoie region. The name tartiflette comes from the Savoyard word tartifles, which means potatoes, and the local péla dish which served as a starting point and is a gratinated mix of potatoes, onions, and leftover cheese prepared in a long-handled pan. Tartiflette was first served in local ski resorts from where it spread to the entire France and the neighboring Switzerland and Italy, and - along with fondue and raclette - is considered to be a typical winter power-food. It is also interesting to mention that the region of Savoie has another dish similar to tartiflette: the croziflette, which uses a locally produced pasta called crozets instead of potatoes. It is safe to say that the cheesemakers' union succeeded in their intention of popularizing the reblochon cheese through tartiflette: each year, numerous competitions and gourmet events are organized around the theme of tartiflette. In 2004, the city of Meulan prepared a giant tartiflette from 600 kilos of potatoes, 300 kilos of reblochon cheese, 100 kilos of bacon and 60 kilos of onions, and served it to over 2 thousand hungry visitors.

1 reblochon cheese
firm-fleshed potatoes (1 kg)
smoked bacon (200 g)
2 large onions
white wine (100 mL)
black pepper, freshly ground
nutmeg, freshly grated (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces. Cut the onions into rings.

Brown the bacon and onions in a frying pan for 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and fry on medium heat for 20 minutes. Pour in white wine and cook for 5 more minutes. Season with pepper and nutmeg to taste - since the bacon is already salty, there is no need for additional salt.

Cut the reblochon in half crosswise to get two discs and keep the crust. Cut the bottom disc in pieces, and leave the upper disc whole or cut it into 2-4 pieces, depending on the size of your baking pan.

Mix potatoes, onions and bacon with reblochon cut in smaller pieces and place in a baking pan. Top it with the remaining reblochon, crust upwards.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the reblochon melts and turns golden brown.

Serve warm with a side of lettuce.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Reblochon Cheese:
Produced specifically in the French region of Haute-Savoie, reblochon cheese carries the Appellation d' Origine Contrôlée since 1958. Still, it was developed back in the 13th century when the peasants tried to milk their cows for the second time in a row. The milk they got was very fat and thus ideal for cheese-making, and reblochon cheese is still made from that very milk on the same day it is harvested. Read more

Potatoes:
Starchy potato varieties are the best choice for tartiflette since they will not release any liquid during baking. There are two options: cooking the potatoes with their skin on or frying peeled potatoes in a pan before blending them with onions and bacon.

Bacon:
The expression "lardo" which appears in original French recipes for tartiflette is basically smoked bacon cut in thin sticks. Choosing the bacon with more meat or more fat is a matter of personal preference, but the bacon should be smoked since it adds more flavour.

Optional Ingredients:
Mountain ham, smoked salmon, cream, butter, olive oil and duck fat are among the ingredients one can add to tartiflette to alternate its taste. For the ones ready to experiment, there are even sweet-savoury variations which include apples and hazelnuts.