Anne's Kitchen What's cooking?!

Yup, you’ve guessed right, I’m still in comfort food mode! And how could I not?! It’s cold, grey and wet outside and I’m mostly hibernating. Hibernating for me means spending time in my kitchen, in front of my computer and in my bed. I’ve been cooking lots, trying out new recipes for an exciting project, photographing, editing the photos, writing up recipes, catching up with my social media platforms and foremost binge-watching US TV Shows in bed – including Fringe, Parenthood, Girls, How I Met Your Mother and New Girl. So you see, I’ve been busy hibernating.

But over to this recipe. My favourite comfort dishes always seem to include three ingredients: cheese, bacon and potatoes. I don’t really need to explain why I love either one of these, and even less why they work together, it’s just a winning combination, right? Back in spring, I made a light, low-fat potato bake (you can watch the video here), but this is the real deal. A heavy, creamy, cheesy potato bake pimped with slices of camembert and pancetta. Could it get any better? Frankly no!

Now, let me just briefly justify the name of this recipe. Those of you who spend every winter on the pillowy white slopes of the French alps will scream out “hold on, this ain’t a proper tartiflette”. And yes, I lower my head in shame, it ain’t… You see, a traditional tartiflette is a cheesy potato bake made with heavenly Reblochon cheese. I was craving it so badly the other day, so I went to my local shops and was let down by the meagre cheese selection… Think: cheddar, cheddar, cheddar, a weak brie, some goats cheese, a bit of blue cheese, and oh, some more cheddar. That’s all. Live with it Anne, you’re not in Luxembourg where the cheese rayons of any supermarket are stuffed with all possible kinds of mouthwatering cheeses… So, I had to compromise and buy a camembert instead (and throw in some cheddar too). So, think of this as a British version of the French classic.

Before sharing the recipe I’d just like to briefly share some other exciting news. I just bought my tickets to attend The Hive blogging conferencein Berlin, on the 25th and 26th May. It will be a complete joy to return to this awesome blogging event! Last year’s conference was a real blast, I met so many lovely people and really learnt a lot. I was also leading a food photography workshop – this year I’m taking a break from being a speaker though and will enjoy the conference as a regular attendee. So, if you happen to come too, let me know, I’d love to meet you and share a slice of cake together!

Anyway, enough ramblings, time to enjoy your tartiflette!

Tartiflette: Cheesy Potato Bake

Serves 2

700g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper)
50g speck, pancetta or proscuitto
150g grated cheddar
200ml cream
100ml milk
1 egg
1 camembert (250g)

Preheat the oven to 200° celsius (fan).

Peel the potatoes, cut them into slices and cook in salted, boiling water for 5 minutes. You want them to be slightly undercooked. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle.

In a ceramic baking dish, arrange the potato slices in a fan movement (you can also just chuck them into the dish if you’re not bothered about the presentation). Tuck slices of speck, pancetta or proscuitto between some of the potato slices. Sprinkle the potatoes evenly with the cheddar.

In a jug, mix the cream, milk and egg. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes.

Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, taking them out after 20 minutes and covering them with slices of camembert, then baking them for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with a green salad.