Time To Cosy Up

It's the new year and the weather is definitely getting colder (finally) and so I thought I'd make the ultimate in comfort classics, tartiflette. Traditionally eaten after a long day on the ski slopes and appropriately filling, it's perfect for a winter night to be eaten by a roaring fire after a long walk in the countryside. Apparently, it's not such a rustic dish as one might think and was actually invented in the 1980s by the Reblochon (cheese) makers to boost sales!

I must admit that it's not the healthiest of dishes, consisting of principally of potatoes, bacon and cheese, but it's worth the indulgence after an active day. Another plus is that it's terribly easy to put together. The rind of the cheese is edible and adds a lovely salty crunch to the dish but you can take it off after cooking if you would prefer not to eat it.

Tartiflette Recipe

Oven at 180˚

Serves 2

Easily doubled

Make it vegetarian by omitting the pancetta (it will still taste delicious)

Ingredients

6 medium waxy potatoes (I use red skinned ones)

150g pancetta or bacon

2 white onions, sliced into rounds

knob of butter

glug (100ml) white wine (Riesling is excellent and great to drink with the meal)

splash (50ml) double cream

clove garlic

black pepper

½ a round of reblochon, cut horizontally so that the 2 halves both have 1 side with the rind

Method

Preheat the oven.

Cut the garlic in half and rub the cut halves over a 2 person baking dish.

Slice the potatoes into 5mm rounds and place in a pan of cold water. Put on the heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 6 minutes and then drain.

Meanwhile, cook the pancetta (dice it first if needed) in a large frying pan and then transfer to a bowl.

Add a knob of butter to the pan and fry the onions until soft and beginning to caramelise.

Return the pancetta to the pan with the onions and pour over the wine. Boil for a few minutes to reduce the wine. Season with black pepper (the pancetta and reblochon are salty enough that you don't need to season with salt).

Layer a third of the potatoes in the baking dish and top with half the pancetta and onion mix, season with black pepper, repeat with another third of the potatoes and the rest of the onion mix (more pepper here). After the top layer of potatoes, pour over the cream and place the 2 pieces of reblochon rind sides up on the top.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the cheese has melted and the dish is bubbling.

Serve with a crisp salad and the rest of the riesling.

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