I've wanted to post this recipe for a couple of weeks, but when this delicious mixture of potatoes, bacon, and cheesy goodness came out of the oven, my haste to dive in made me totally forget to take a picture! Twice. Yes, this is the third time in two weeks that I have made tartiflette... and I wonder why spinning class isn't paying off as quickly as I'd like!
Tartiflette is the ultimate comfort food and perfect for chilly weather. So unless you're on a diet, pour yourself a glass of red (or white if you prefer) and start peeling potatoes!
Note: Tartiflette snobs may not agree with all aspects of this recipe and that's just too bad!
Ingredients:
*I haven't specified quantities as there is no real way to "mess up" a tartiflette in my book. Just use ratios that feel right to you given how many potatoes you use.
Potatoes (I prefer using red potatoes as I find that they don't fall apart as much.)
Bacon (In France, we use lardons or small chunks of diced bacon. If you want to skip the bacon, vegetarian tartiflette is delicious too!)
An onion or two
A few splashes of cream
A couple of glasses of white wine for cooking (A little bit usually ends up in my glass, oops!)
Cheese (Purists will say that you can only use reblochon cheese for tartiflette. I just use whatever I have in the fridge; a mix of raclette cheese and goat cheese is awesome! Basically, you want a soft cheese that will melt really well. It doesn't have to be fancy.)
A few tablespoons of butter
1.) Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks.
2.) Bring a pot of water to boil. Throw the potatoes into the pot and let boil for 5 minutes.
3.) Drain the potatoes and melt a few tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat.
4.) When the butter is melted, transfer the lightly boiled potatoes into the pan and mix them around to make sure the butter gets everywhere. 5.) Pour in a glass of white wine and let cook on medium heat until done, or when you can easily stick the chunks with a fork. Add additional wine as necessary and don't forget to pour yourself a glass!
6.) While the potatoes are cooking, throw the bacon chunks into a separate pan.
7.) Chop up the onion(s) and sauté them with the bacon chunks.
8.) When everything is done cooking, mix the bacon/onion mixture into the potatoes.
9.) Transfer the potatoes/bacon/onion to a baking dish and spread evenly.
10.) Splash a little cream over the top or spoon a few dollops of crème fraîche around.
11.) If you are using reblochon cheese, cut the cheese in half and place the two halves right on top with the rind facing up. If you're using a different cheese, cut into thick slices and place on top of the potato mixture, spacing relatively evenly.
12.) Cook at 350°F for 30-45 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted and turned a delicious shade of light brown.
Serve with a green salad and the wine of your choice. Bon appétit!
