What is Tartiflette?
My Tartiflette recipe consists of cheese and potatoes baked in a creamy white wine sauce with mushrooms and bacon topped with crunchy bread crumbs. As the potatoes bake, the sauce thickens and the cheese melts and forms a crisp and crunchy crust. The Tartiflette originated in the ski resort of the Swiss Alps and is definitely a winter recipe. Very popular with the younger skiers, it’s the cheese fries of Switzerland. And apparently, I have a lot to learn about how to do cheese fries properly from the Swiss kids, because these cheesy potatoes are amazing.
Can you substitute Camembert for Reblochon in Tartiflette?
Traditionally made with a cheese called ‘Reblochon’ a raw cow’s milk cheese. I’ve found it difficult to find reblochon in the USA due to the laws for pasteurized cheeses if you can find it, great, but if not there are good substitutes. I substituted Camembert cheese for the Reblochon and one of my French coworkers tasted my Tartiflette recipe said it was one of the best Tartiflette’s he has ever had, so I would say that Camembert is a good substitute.
What to serve with Tartiflette?
Crusty bread to soak up the sauce and a glass of good white wine are really all you need. But I have to admit, these potatoes were born to be served alongside Barbeque.
The first time I tasted these cheesy potatoes I knew it was going to be my go-to side item for BBQ Baby Back Ribs. This recipe may have originated in Switzerland, but the combo of Reblochon or Camembert cheese, potatoes, bacon in a creamy sauce is mind-blowingly good with barbeque ribs. Do yourself a favor and serve these cheesy potatoes at your next BBQ your friends and family won’t know what hit them.
Tartiflette Ingredients
- Potatoes: A high starch variety such as Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes are necessary to thicken the Tartiflette sauce
- Bacon: A high quality smoked bacon cut into 1/2-inch slices, precooked, extra crispy
- Cheese: Traditionally, Reblochon is the cheese used for a Tartiflette, however, it is often difficult to find where I live, so I substitute Camembert
- Mushrooms and Onions: The mushrooms are optional in a Tartiflette, but I highly recommend them, they go well with the cheese, creamy sauce and potatoes
- White Wine and Cream: The Tartiflettes creamy sauce thickens with the potato starch, picks up the flavors of mushrooms, onions and bacon, it’s ridiculously good
- Bread Crumb Topping: A nice little crunch on top of the Tartiflette, I prefer using Panko Bread Crumbs, but regular bread crumbs work just as well.
Here’s more evidence that you can never have too much cheese, bacon, or starch.
-Anthony Bourdain describing the Tartiflette
Here’s my recipe:
Tartiflette
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Potatoes, Yukon Gold High Starch Potato, 1/2-inch dice
- 8 Ounce Bacon 1/2-inch dice, crispy
- 1 Cup White Onion Sliced Thinly
- 8 Ounces Sliced Mushrooms Sauteed
- 1/2 Cup White Wine
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream or Half & Half
- 1 Pound Reblochon or Camembert Cheese
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs Panko or Plain
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Instructions
- Peel and slice potatoes, place in a small pot with salted water, boil until just tender.
- Fry bacon in a skillet until crisp, remove bacon, reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease
- Saute sliced onions and mushrooms in the bacon grease until done, add the white wine to deglaze the pan
- Drain potatoes and add them to the onions and mushrooms
- Add the cream or half & half, salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a baking dish
- Sprinkle bacon on top
- Cut the cheese in half crosswise and lengthwise, then into ¼ inch strips, arrange cheese on top of the potatoes
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs that have been lightly coated in olive oil on top of the cheese
- Bake at 350F until sauce is bubbling, cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 25-30 minutes
Nutrition
