Tartiflette, a French Classic From the Savoie Region

While it's true that my blog's main focus is about desserts, nonetheless, I cook savory dishes all the time and there are some standout dishes that are too good to not be shared. In the cold winter days we all crave for good comfort food and the recipe I am sharing features a French classic that is all about comfort! It has cheese, onions, cream and potatoes; just what you need and ask for on a cold day.

The tartiflette is a cheesy gratin that comes from the French Savoie region famous for its many wines and cheeses. Reblochon, a well known and very delicious cheese out of the Savoie region is the hero of this dish is a creamy cheese with a strong and nutty flavor and a beautiful yellowish washed rind. The French cook a lot with it using it in great dishes like the tartiflette but it is also great eaten simply with some bread and wine.

If you are a cheese lover like me, you need to try this tartiflette recipe.  In case you can´t find the Reblochon cheese you may substitute it with Camembert but the result won't be as delicious!

For 4 persons you need:

• 600 g boiled potatoes and cut into 1 cm thick rounds (I don´t bother peeling the potatoes but if you prefer you can peel them)
• 2 big onions (I used 1 red and 1 white)
• 60 g chopped bacon
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• nutmeg, freshly grated
• 50 ml white wine
• 150 g creme fraiche or heavy cream
• 300 g reblochon
• 10 g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat your oven to 220 C and lightly grease an 18 x 28 cm oven-proof dish.

Cut the onions into thin wedges. In a pan, fry the bacon with the butter and oil until golden, then remove them from pan and add the onions. Cook the onions with the thyme, on a medium to low heat until they are soft. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes until the liquid evaporates. Turn off the heat and add the bacon.

In your baking tray, add half of the onion, then layer half of the potato, add a bit of salt and grate some nutmeg, repeat with the rest of the onion and the potatoes. Finish with the cream and the reblochon cut lengthwise into 1 cm thick slices.

Bake in the oven for about 10-15 min. Watch the pan as you just want to melt the cheese and get a beautiful golden color on top.

Once your tartiflette is done, serve it with some greens or just as it is with a glass of white wine. 

Bon appetit!