Tartiflette is a French recipe from the Savoy region that contains reblochon, a traditional cheese from the Rhône-Alpes region. It is not a traditional recipe in French cuisine, since it was developed in the 1980s by the Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Reblochon, a union of trade interests, to boost sales of the cheese. Such has been the success of the recipe that today it is well-known as a typical French dish. Its name comes from the Arpitan (Franco-Provençal) word for potato, tartiflâ.

Reblochon is a washed-rind soft cheese with a hint of hazelnut. Its edible rind is usually a yellowish-orange colour and the cheese should be sold covered in a fine white mould, as proof of it having been well aged in a cellar.

Tartiflette should be served straight out of the oven, and goes well with a tomato and lettuce based salad. This is because the dish tends to be rather heavy and this type of light garnish can help balance that.

Preparation:

Wash the potatoes well and without peeling them, boil them in a saucepan of salted water for 20 minutes, turning the heat down once the water has boiled. After this time, drain them and leave them to cool slightly before peeling and slicing them evenly.

Cut the onion julienne style, heat the Betis olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion on a low heat until golden. When the onion is cooked, add the bacon and fry it, stirring occasionally until it is browned. Add a little wine and keep the pan on the heat until it has evaporated. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

Grease an oven dish with a little Betis olive oil and line it with a layer of sliced potatoes. On top of this, place the onion and the bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then cover everything with the cream. Finally, add the reblochon, finely sliced, as a top layer.

Bake the dish for 20-30 minutes so that the cheese melts and blends with the cream and the dish has a lovely golden, crispy finish. The dish is done when the top is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

Note: serves 4. Preparation time: 60 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes