Have you ever craved a dish that smells like a mountain chalet when it’s gray outside and you have no desire to go out? Pela savoyarde is exactly that: five ingredients, one pan, and forty minutes later, you have the comfort of a mountain pasture without leaving home. Less famous than tartiflette, but frankly just as generous.
Ingredients :
- Potatoes — They carry the structure of the whole dish. Choose a firm-fleshed variety — Charlotte, Nicola, Roseval — that holds up well during cooking without falling apart. Floury varieties like Bintje will stick and break apart when tossed in the pan. If you have organic potatoes with nice thin skin, leave it on: it adds a rustic touch that suits this dish.
- Reblochon — This is the ingredient around which everything is organized. A not-too-ripe reblochon is ideal — if it’s too runny before cooking, it will release water and make the potatoes soggy. The crust should be supple but not sticky. Keep it on: it retains heat, melts gradually, and gives the dish its characteristic amber color. An AOP reblochon is better if you can find one.
- Smoked turkey bacon — It plays the role of traditional smoked bacon: bringing the fatty, smoky depth that balances the richness of the cheese. Cut it into small dice if you buy it in slices, and cook it until it starts to brown on the edges — that’s when it really releases its flavors. Too little cooking leaves it soft and uninteresting.
- Onion — It serves as a balance between the richness of the cheese and the smokiness of the bacon. A large yellow onion is ideal — it caramelizes well and develops a slight sweetness. Slice it finely so it really melts into the pan rather than staying in crunchy bits. If you don’t like its strong taste, a shallot softens the whole dish even more.
