TARTIFLETTE

Comfort food at its very best especially during this freezing spell in France - Tartliflette - 'invented' in the 70's in the Alps, this recipe has certainly put Reblochon cheese on the map!

Our gîte in the snow

Potatoes, cheese, lardons, onions and white wine - not for 'operation transformation' but what a treat!

Serves 6

1 kilo potatoes

1 bay leaf

2 onion(s) sliced

60g butter

150g pancetta or chopped smokey bacon

1 *Reblochon cheese 500g halved and sliced

Coarse salt and pepper

75ml white wine (optional)

Method

1.Boil the potatoes with the bay leaf until al dente, about 15 mins.drain and set aside.  Peel and slice in to slices of 6mm.

2.            Meanwhile fry the onions and pancetta or lardons in half the butter until soft. Remove from the pan. Melt the remaining butter and add the potatoes. Cook for 5 mins then add the bacon and fry together until the bacon is cooked and the onion is caramelised in the juices. If using wine, add a splash and let it cook down into the other ingredients.

 Season well.

3.            In a buttered oven-proof dish, place the sliced potatoes and lardon mix.

4.            Place the reblochon, crust up, on top of the potatoes and lardon mix.

5.Bake in a preheated, moderately hot oven until the cheese melts and bubbles. Allow to cool slightly to avoid tongue-burning on cheese, and enjoy !

*The Reblochon can be replaced by Emmantal, Cantal, Tomme from the Pyrenees or even a goat’s cheese – a great way for using up a leftovers from a cheeseboard – just experiment in the happy knowledge that potatoes, butter, lardons and melted cheese  go sooo well together – it doesn’t get much better than this !