Tartiflette

Tartiflette is one of my favorite dishes. I learned to make this when I was working in France. One day we had a small party at work and there was this absolutely delicious dish brought by a coworker. My friend and colleague Ioana gave me the recipe and on the way home I bought ingredients to make it for dinner. It was so easy and delicious.

I have been making tartiflette since then. The recipe calls for Reblochon cheese, which is extremely difficult to find here. When living in France, I used to buy a half of Reblochon cheese and a small packet of lardon (cubes of pork fat). I had a small table top convection oven in the studio I rented, and I made tariflette at least twice a month. I used to take some to work for lunch and my colleagues would ask me not to eat it too much because it was too fattening.

Now every time  I make tartiflette it brings back memories of my time in France - good times I had with my friends, taste of baguettes and delicious cheeses,  open markets with fresh vegetables, cobblestone streets and the view of Eiffel tower and my walks along the Seine.

My first tartiflette.

In this recipe I use turkey bacon and Brie as substitutes for lardon and Reblochon. These amounts don't have to be exact. I use a 9 x 11 inch baking dish and have several layers of potatoes and onions depending on the quantities.

Ingredients:
3 medium size potatoes ( I had approximately 690 g)
2 medium size onions (about 380 g)
6 rashes of bacon
A splash of white wine to deglaze the pan
A wheel of Brie (8 ounces/226 g)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 400F (~ 200C).
Peel and slice potatoes. Cover with just enough water and cook until tender. I use the microwave oven. Set potatoes aside and let it cool a bit.

Slice onions into thin rings. Cut bacon into small pieces. Heat a pan and when it is hot, add bacon and cook until crispy. Add onion rings, cover and cook until onions are soft. Add a splash of white wine to deglaze the pan. Cook until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.

Place a layer of potato slices in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle a little bit salt and pepper. Then add a later of bacon & onion mixture. Keep adding potato, and bacon & onion layers. I finish with a layer of bacon & onions. Place slices of Brie on top.

Baked in the oven until Brie melts and potatoes are soft. I bake about 25 minutes and check potatoes with a thin knife to see if it's cooked enough.

I serve this with a simple salad of lettuce and a very light salad dressing.