Tartiflette

Winter has a way of pulling us closer to the stove. It’s the season for batch meals, slow-cooked dishes, and recipes that feel like an invitation to linger. This tartiflette is exactly that kind of dish. Incredibly comforting, rich, and steeped in the rustic charm of the French Alps, it’s a meal built for cold evenings, crackling fires, and second helpings.

Inspired by the classic “apres-ski” dish, this tartiflette brings together soft, buttery potatoes, ribbons of sweet onion, smoky bacon, and a wheel of Camembert baked until molten. It’s simple but layered, hearty yet composed, the kind of food that warms you from the inside out. Every bite offers something different: a bit of cream-slicked potato, a salty bacon, a sweet edge of caramelized onion, and a pocket of gooey cheese just starting to brown at the edges.

The preparation begins with the potatoes. Yukon Golds, sliced thick and simmered with a handful of thyme, soften until perfectly tender, absorbing a savoury depth from the broth.

Meanwhile, thick-cut bacon cooks slowly in a cast-iron skillet, releasing just enough fat to soften the onions. They melt into the pan, turning sweet and translucent before the wine is added and simmered down to a whisper. It’s a moment that fills the kitchen with the smells of winter cooking, woodsy herbs, smoky pork, and a hint of wine rising in the steam.

Once the potatoes join the bacon and onions, everything gets folded together gently, the ingredients settling into one warm, fragrant mass. A pour of cream adds richness without heaviness, pooling around the potatoes and clinging to their edges. Then comes the cheese: a wheel of Camembert, halved and cut into half-moons, nestled across the top with the rind facing up. In the oven, it melts into every nook and corner, bubbling and bronzing until the whole skillet is golden and irresistible.

When it emerges, the tartiflette is both rustic and elegant, a warming feast that feels right at home on a weeknight table or at the centre of a winter gathering. It’s a dish meant for sharing, served straight from the pan and set in the middle of the table, where everyone can help themselves. It’s hearty without being heavy, comforting without being complicated, the kind of dish that makes you want to open a bottle of dry white wine, settle in, and enjoy the slow rhythm of a cold-weather evening.

Whether you’re looking for a simple winter supper, a celebratory meal for friends, or just a beautiful way to embrace the season’s appetite for warmth, this tartiflette delivers. It’s comfort, it’s tradition, and it’s the effortless pleasure of winter cooking in one bubbling, cheese-laced skillet.

Tartiflette

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs yellow potatoes, (Yukon Gold) peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
• 2 cups chicken broth (see note)
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs, plus additional for optional garnish
• Sea salt
• 150g thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch lardons
• 2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 wheel (300g) Camembert or other soft-rind cheese, sliced in half crosswise, then cut into half-moon shapes. 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the sliced potatoes in a large saucepan. Add the chicken broth, then add enough water to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch. Add the thyme and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside (discard thyme).
3. In a deep oven-safe skillet or cast-iron pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned but not crispy. Remove about one-third of the bacon and set aside for topping. Drain the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the onions, and cook until softened, 7–8 minutes, stirring often. Add the white wine and cook until almost fully evaporated.
5. Add the onions to the cooked potatoes and gently toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Return the potatoes to the skillet and pour the cream over the top. Arrange the Camembert pieces across the top, rind side up.Sprinkle the reserved bacon over top.
7. Place the skillet on a baking sheet and bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
   

Notes:

• Boiling the potatoes in broth is optional but adds a savoury depth of flavour. Water alone works just fine.