It’s ages since we had tartiflette… we’re having some pleasant September weather at the moment but it won’t be long before we want warm cosy meals… tartiflette is war, and it’s cosy… My spell check wanted to change it to ‘flannelette’ – well, that’s warm and cosy too, but probably doesn’t taste as nice!We first had this not in Savoy in France where it originates, but in Weston at a food fair. It isn’t a traditional dish, I was sad to learn, but created by the Reblochon makers to boost sales in the 1980’s!
TARTIFLETTE
- 2lbs potatoes, peeled, boiled and sliced (if you fry the potatoes, the dish is now a Péla or Péilâ)
- 8 oz diced bacon
- 1 sliced onion
- 1 reblochon cheese, cut in half across the side so you have two circles of cheese
- 3 tablespoons crème fraiche or cream
- 1 glass white wine
- Fry the onion and bacon
- Layer with the potatoes in a buttered dish
- Spread with cream or crème fraiche
- Pour on the wine
- Lay the halves of reblochon face down (skin up) on the potatoes
- Cook in a hot oven 220°C 425°F gas mark 8
- When the top is crispy all the cheese will have melted down into the potatoes and it is ready to eat!
Lois Elsden 