La Truffade
(from saymyname’s recipe box)
Source: in 'The Country Cooking of France' by Anne Willan
Serves 4 peopleCategories: French, Potatoes, Side Dish
Ingredients
- 5 ounces lean bacon, diced (or cut into lardons)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or lard)
- 2 lbs baking potatoes, thinly sliced
- salt
- pepper
- 8 ounces gruyere cheese, diced (or cut into thin, narrow strips, may use Cantal cheese)
Directions
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Heat the bacon in a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat until the fat runs, 2-3 minutes.
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Do not let them brown; remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Heat the vegetable oil in the pan; add the potatoes and sprinkle them with pepper (the bacon may contribute enough salt).
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Decrease heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
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Stir in the bacon and continue to cook, uncovered, over low heat, tossing or stirring often, until the potatoes are tender and some are browned, 20-25 minutes.
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Don’t worry it some of them are crusted, as they will help hold the mixture in a cake.
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Stir in the cheese; taste, and adjust the seasonings.
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Press down on the potatoes to level them in the pan.
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Increase heat to high and let them cook without stirring until the bottom is browned, 3-5 minutes.
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Press on the cake occasionally to hold it together.
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When done, it should be brown around the edges and starting to pull from the sides of the pan.
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Take the pan off the heat, run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, and turn it out onto a warmed plate; serve hot.