Tartiflette

If you’re not familiar with Tartiflette, then let me be the first to introduce you to your new favourite cold weather comfort food. Originating in the Savoie region of the French Alps where it’s popular with skiers, this is the potato dish of dreams and it’s not terribly difficult to make at home!

Of course there is a very traditional way of making Tartiflette, but I’m deviating slightly here for ease. I’m swapping pancetta cubes for bacon lardons and substituting shallots for onions because they’re a little sweeter and cook a bit faster. This recipe might not be exactly authentic, but it is really delicious and comes out tasting very much like the traditional Tartiflettes I’ve enjoyed in the past.

Much of the unique flavour of Tartiflette comes from using Reblochon cheese. If you can’t find Reblochon, try subsituting the same amount of Brie, Camembert, Comte or Gruyere. It will change the flavour profile slightly, but it will still be so delicious. At the end of the day it’s potatoes, bacon and cheese, so what’s not to love?

When it comes to the potatoes you use, it’s going to depend a bit on where you are in the world when you’re making your Tartiflette and what’s available. I’ve used La Ratte potatoes which work very well because of their stodgy, almost waxy, buttery interior texture. They have a slightly nutty flavour to them too that really works with cheese. If you can’t get La Rattes, try Yukon Gold, fingerling or Anya potatoes.

A dry white wine is part of the recipe here and you can of course choose to use any dry white you like, but there are some options that will work better than others. I personally think that making Tartiflette is the perfect opportunity to open a nice bottle you want to drink with the dish and you absolutely can’t go wrong with a dry white from the Savoie region if you can find one. Alternatively you could try a dry Reisling from France, Austria or Germany, an Alsace Pinot Gris or a nice Chablis. Use 75ml for the recipe and drink the rest of the bottle with the finished product for a real treat!

If you don’t have a flame-proof casserole that can also go into the oven, please don’t let that keep you from trying this delicious recipe. You can absolutely do the first steps in a frying pan and transfer everything to a roasting tin or baking dish before popping into the oven and it will work out just the same.

As for serving suggestions, I love Tartiflette on its own, but it goes very nicely with a crusty hunk of bread or garlic bread for soaking up all the cheesy goodness left behind on the plate. Some green beans could also be nice along the side if you’re serving this for lunch or dinner. As a brunch dish, a runny fried egg and a slice of toast served with a glass of Crémant de Savoie would be just lovely. Let’s get started!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g La Ratte potatoes
• 50g unsalted butter, plus another 25g separated
• 150g pancetta cubes
• 2 eschalion shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely shredded or minced
• 75ml dry white wine
• 125ml double cream
• 500g Reblochon cheese, sliced
• Salt & pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180° Fan / 400°F.
2. Cook the potatoes in boiling water with a bit of salt for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the potatoes and leave them to cool for a bit until you can easily handle them.
3. Slice the cooked potatoes as best you can. Don’t worry if the skins are starting to rip or fall off – just manage the best you can.
4. Melt 50g of butter in a flame-proof casserole dish or a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the potatoes for about 7 or 8 minutes until they become golden and a little crispy. Remove the potatoes to a plate and set them aside.
5. Add the pancetta to the hot pan and fry for a few minutes until bronzed and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pancetta to the same plate as the potatoes to leave as much of the fat in the pan as possible.
6. Add the remaining 25g of butter and when it starts to sizzle up a bit, reduce the heat to medium and throw your chopped shallots into the pan and fry for about 7 minutes or so until they are softened and looking translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so taking care not to burn anything.
7. Increase the heat back to medium-high or high and splash in the white wine. Deglaze the pan by scraping any bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon to incorporate any of that delicious flavour.
8. Let the wine continue to bubble away until it reduces a bit and then pour in the double cream. Season with salt & pepper, stir to combine everything and then remove the pan from the heat.
9. Combine the potatoes, the sliced Reblochon cheese, the pancetta and the creamy shallots mixture in the casserole or baking dish and try to evenly assemble everything as much as possible. Grate a bit of fresh nutmeg across the top if you’re using it and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes or until everything is hot, melted and it’s gone golden & crispy on the top. Serve hot.