Tartiflette is a traditional French baked dish of potatoes, cheese, bacon, cream, onions, and is truly Alpine gold. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had something similar to this growing up in the Midwest, but it’s just another reason to celebrate how food unites us all the same. It originates from the Savoy (Savoie) region of France, famous for its beautiful mountains, cheese, and skiing resorts. One would typically enjoy Tartiflette in a chalet or lodge after a long strenuous day on the slopes.
The traditional cheese used for this gratin is Reblochon, made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Because it’s aged less than 60 days, we’re unable to allocate it in the US, but that doesn’t mean we can’t succeed with this recipe, because we have all kinds of incredible options loaded in our arsenal to substitute for a game changing experience.
Tartiflette is extremely easy to make. Practically fool-proof, to be honest. You’re literally just layering rich, decadent flavors on top of one another, and the end result will leave you speechless. If you need Thanksgiving side dish ideas, this is the crème de la crème. This is it. A true stunner.
The first step is to par-boil some potatoes. Yukon gold are ideal. Par-cooking them guarantees even doneness. It also allows you to season the potatoes by salting the cooking water (a very important step!)
Instead of using bacon, I used our house-made F44 pancetta, and I softened all of my sliced onion in its rendered fat and deglazed the pan with a white wine (doesn’t have to be fancy). All you have to do next is toss your sliced potatoes into your cream (I used dollops of crème fraiche, actually, the acidity gives it a little va va-voom! and cuts through the richness) and you top it all off with decadent, thick slices of Camembert, Tallegio, or whatever other luscious melting cheese our mongers would suggest.
Austin recommended Brie Fermier, Joe literally shouted “Grayson!” at me, but Ogleshield, or even Raclette, would be just fine in place of Reblochon. Take your pick, or go for something else in this general family of soft-rind, cow's milk cheese.
There isn’t much more comforting than caramelized onions, potatoes, and pancetta, bound together with silky melted cheese and a crisp crust on a cold day. Make it all winter. We’re here to support you.
Ingredients:
(Serves 4-6 as a side, but is so easy to double if needed)
2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 pound slab or thick-cut bacon, or pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch lardons
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Vermont creamery crème fraiche
1 lb. Camembert Fermier (or similar) sliced into 1 inch pieces
A handful of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Cornichons or apples, if you’d like on the side
Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds. In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold water. Season generously with salt, add thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook at a bare simmer until potatoes are just tender and can be easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Discard thyme, drain potatoes, return to pot, and set aside.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. In a cast iron or stainless steel skillet, heat pancetta over medium-high heat until fat begins to render. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is mostly rendered and pancetta is cooked but not crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have softened but not browned, about 6-8 minutes.
Add white wine and cook, stirring, until wine has almost fully cooked off, 1 to 2 minutes or so. Add potatoes and toss gently to thoroughly combine.
Carefully layer onion, pancetta, and potato mixture into a casserole dish, cast iron skillet, or bakeware of choice, dolloping crème fraiche in between each. If using cream, pour over the top evenly.
Top your gratin with your 1 inch slices of cheese on top of your potato mixture, rind side up. Set skillet or baking dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme, and enjoy!