Tartiflette – Recipe & Alternatives to Reblochon

Tartiflette was only invented in the 1980s! Amidst declining Reblochon cheese sales, the ‘Syndicat of Reblochon’ developed and marketed this dish, adapting a local peasant recipe ‘Péla’ for melted cheese, bacon and potatoes.

Ingredients (per person)
250g thickly-sliced potatoes
100g diced smoked bacon
60ml crème fraiche
150g Reblochon
1 small chopped onion
1 garlic clove

Method
Par-boil the potatoes for 15 minutes, then drain.
Melt a knob of butter in a pan and fry the bacon with the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
In a baking dish, layer the onion and bacon mix alternatively with the potatoes, dolloping the crème fraiche on the top.
Place the cheese, ideally cut in half through the middle, on the very top, rind side up so the rind can brown and crisp as it bakes.
Bake until potatoes are cooked (15-20 minutes at 200°C).

Can’t get hold of Reblochon? If you cannot find Reblochon or you want to try a British alternative cheese each of the below will work to replace it, all have a similar methodology in making and maturing to Reblochon so will work if you replace it ‘like for like’ in the Tartiflette recipe: Rollright, Winslade, Ogleshield, Ashcombe.

For a variation: try its cousin: Morbierflette – using Morbier cheese and replacing the bacon with smoked Morteau sausage.