Tartiflette

Tartiflette is the famous French potato bake from the Alps, made with just potatoes, bacon, onion and cheese that melts down to become the sauce. Potato Dauphinoise may be the better-known classic, but ask around France and some would choose Tartiflette in a heartbeat.

Tartiflette

Tartiflette is the famous Alpine potato bake made simply with potatoes, onion, bacon and cheese. It comes from the Savoie region, up in the French Alps, home to some of the best cheese in the country. I grew up in Lyon which is not far from Savoie and I can tell you, there is nothing like coming in from a day of skiing on the slopes to a warm Tartiflette.

Though Potato Dauphinoise may be the more famous French potato bake, Tartiflette has something special going for it – instead of cream, the melted cheese becomes the sauce. The traditional cheese used is called Reblochon which is a washed rind cheese that is notoriously difficult (and expensive) to find outside of France.

It’s a dish from home that I’ve missed and craved, and this winter I was determined to find a way to make it properly here in Australia using an alternative cheese. I was happy to find that I could make a Tartiflette every bit as good as I remember from home using cheeses I could get locally. And luckily, Nagi is famously a cheese monster, so getting through the many, many test batches was never going to be a problem!

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Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make Tartiflette.

1. the cheese – reblochon

As mentioned above, the traditional cheese used in Tartiflette is Reblochon which is difficult to find outside of France. But don’t be disheartened, I’ve made it with multiple washed rind cheeses here in Australia and find it really close to the real deal. And believe me, I’m pretty particular about making sure traditional French dishes taste as they should!

About Reblochon

Reblochon is a washed rind cheese which is a type of cheese that is soft and creamy like brie and has the signature slightly funky flavour that comes from the way the rind is washed as the cheese ages. It is made in the Savoie and Haute-Savoie regions near the Alps, traditionally with raw milk from cows native to the region. The rind is white when young and becomes orange as the cheese ages, and a rich, gently pungent flavour that mellows once baked.

The cheese melts beautifully and runs throughout the dish to coat all the potato, which is why you don’t need cream or any other sauce in this dish.

Where to get Reblochon

In France, Reblochon is found at every grocery store. But sadly outside France, genuine Reblochon can be tricky to track down, largely because they fall foul of import laws in countries like Australia and the US.

But as I said above, I have tried Tartiflette with many other washed rind cheeses. Here are other cheese that can be used:

• Préféré de Nos Montagnes (what I used, photo below) – This is a Reblochon-style cheese from France. The reason this can be imported is because it is made with pasteurised milk whereas genuine Reblochon uses raw milk. I find the flavour of this to be extremely close to genuine Reblochon, there is barely any difference. I got this from Le Petit Marche, a French deli in Newport, Sydney and it’s carried at speciality cheese shops as well as online and at French markets.

• Délice du Jura – This is another French Reblochon-style cheese that is from another region which can also be found online, markets and speciality stores.

• Saint-Nectaire – This is a washed rind cheese that is not a Reblochon-style cheese but it has similar flavour and melting characteristics so it is a great alternative. Find it online, at speciality French cheese stores and online.

• Other washed rind cheeses – The 3 cheeses I talk about above are the closest washed rinds to Reblochon. But there are many other varieties of washed rinds at different price points and sizes, of which I have tried quite a few over the years and found them all to be enjoyable.

• Taleggio – This is the most accessible and affordable option. It is a washed rind cheese that has similar flavour and melting properties to genuine Reblochon. In my area it is carried at Harris Farms (I’m in Sydney) and I’ve seen it in larger grocery stores like Woolworths and Coles that have speciality cheese sections. Taleggio varieties range in price, but don’t hesitate to pick up the best value one as I have made this with the cheapest Taleggio I could find and it was still delicious.

If you get cheese that are wedges rather than a whole wheel like pictured above, then still cut them in half horizontally or cut into chunks and scatter across the surface of the dish. See FAQ for photos.

2. Everything else for the tartiflette

You’ll see some recipes use cream but traditional versions do not because the sauce of Tartiflette is supposed to be just the cheese.

• Potatoes – All potato types will work fine here, really, I’ve tried it with the waxy kind (red potatoes) and it turns out well. But my favourite is the starchy kind. They still hold their shape after boiling and become tender to absorb all the flavours while baking. (Sebago in Australia – the dirt covered ones you see on the shelves, Russet in the US, King Edward or Maris Piper in the UK are perfect).

• Bacon – Brings pops of salty meatiness and lovely smoky depth against the creamy richness of the reblochon cheese. Get slab bacon from your butcher if you can, so you can cut it yourself into lardons (batons). If you can’t find slab bacon, try speck (which in Australia is cured and smoked pork belly slab).

• White wine – Traditionally made with a dry white wine from the Savoie region of France, such as Jacquère or Roussette. These can be difficult to find outside France, so Chardonnay is a great substitute and my favourite wine for cooking , I love the flavour and richness it brings to sauces. There’s no need to buy an expensive bottle, the subtle aromas you’re paying for are mostly lost during cooking anyway. For an alcohol-free version, use a non-alcoholic dry white wine.

• Onions – Two regular size onions, brown ones (yellow).

• Butter – I always use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in a dish.

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How To Make Tartiflette

Don’t overthink this one. It’s boil, sauté, layer and bake. The only thing to plan ahead is cutting the cheese in half. You got this!

1.CUT the reblochon CHEESE

Reblochon is normally very soft and creamy, almost too soft to handle straight from the fridge, so it needs a little help to firm up before you can slice it properly. A short stay in the freezer does the job perfectly, this will not affect the cheese flavour and texture. This trick works just as well if you’re using another washed-rind cheese.

1. Unwrap the cheese completely, taking off all the packaging.

2. Place it on a plate and into the freezer for 1 hour, just enough for it to firm up so it holds together well when you are cutting it..

3. Carefully slice the cheese in half horizontally through the middle with a sharp knife, so you end up with two thinner rounds, rind on one side and the creamy cut side exposed on the other.

2.Cook, assemble and bake

Now that the cheese is sorted, everything else comes together in one pot before going into the baking dish.

1. Cook the potatoes – Place the cut potatoes in a large pot (mine is 7 litres / quarts) and cover with cold water (2cm / 0.8″ above the potatoes). Add salt, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes until just tender. A knife should slide in easily with barely any resistance, but the potato needs to still be firm enough to hold its shape, you don’t want them breaking apart.

   Drain and leave in the colander until needed, this lets any extra moisture to drain and steam off so the potatoes stay dry rather than watery once baked.

   Why start with cold water? It helps the potatoes cook evenly. Starting with boiling water can make the outsides soften before the centres are cooked.

2. Cook the onion – In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, until softened and start to colour.

3. Add the bacon and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the bacon is lightly browned and the onion is beautifully golden. If things are browning or catching on the bottom of the pot too quickly, lower the heat a little.

4. Pour the wine to deglaze, and let it reduce for 30 seconds, scraping the bottom well to loosen all the fond into the wine (those tasty browned bits stuck to the base). There is so much flavour hiding down there, don’t waste it!

5. Add the potato back into the pot with the salt and pepper. Stir gently, just enough to combine, taking care not to break up the potato pieces.

6. Transfer the mixture into a baking dish and spread it out into an even layer. The dish I am using is 30 x 25 x 7cm / 12″ x 10″ x 3″.

7. Place the two halves of reblochon on top, rind side up.

8. Bake at 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced) for 30 minutes, until the reblochon is completely melted, bubbling around the edges and beautifully golden on top. As it bakes, the melted cheese becomes the sauce of the dish, coating every piece of potato in rich, creamy goodness.

   Rest for 5 minutes before serving, if you can wait that long!

How To Serve Tartiflette

Tartiflette is served in the cooler months as a simple main meal in France, usually with just a salad on the side and a glass of crisp white wine. The dish is so substantial and rich that it doesn’t need any extra sides. Try the French Bistro Salad or any fresh leafy salad with a French Vinaigrette, or sautéed Green Beans.

It could also be served as a side dish, like you would Potato Dauphinoise, as part of a banquet though you don’t see this done in France. If I came across Tartiflette on a buffet, I would ignore everything else and just pile my plate full of that!

Have you ever eaten Tartiflette, or is this the first time you’ve heard of it? I’d love to hear in the comments below. Bon appetit! – JB.

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Watch How To Make It

Life Of Jaffle

Someone in this house was very very naughty and ate a lot more Tartiflette than he was supposed to, so a walk was in order to make up for it.

Jaffle, ever the opportunist, decided to tag along too. 😁