Tartiflette: Cheesy potato gratin
from http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/26/french-bistro-recipes

Region: Rhône-Alpes. All across the Alps variations of this tartiflette are served with the addition of local mountain hams, lardons, local cheeses or mushrooms from the forests. Tartiflette was first mentioned in a book of 1705, Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois written by François Massialot and his assistant cook B. Mathieu. The name derives from the Savoyard word for potatoes, tartifles, a term also found in Provençal.

1.5kg potatoes, peeled
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion, sliced
200g smoked streaky bacon, chopped
sprig of fresh thyme
100ml white wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
500g piece of Reblochon cheese (substitue Brie cheese if you cannot locate Reblochon)

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling water for 15 minutes, until just soft. Drain, and when they are cool enough to handle, slice.

Heat the olive oil and add the onion and bacon and cook until just golden. Add the thyme, wine and seasoning, simmer for 5 minutes, then remove the thyme sprig.

Rub the inside of an ovenproof dish with the crushed garlic, layer with half the potatoes, top with the bacon mixture and follow with the remaining potatoes, making another layer.

Place the whole piece of cheese in the centre of the dish on top of the potatoes. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes until golden.

Serves 4