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The main dish, Regional

Truffade du Cantal (cheesy Auvergne potatoes)

Truffade du Cantal is a French dish of pan-fried potatoes melted together with fresh tomme cheese, serving 6, with 35 minutes of active work. The potatoes can be peeled and sliced ahead, and the cheese sliced early, but the actual cooking happens at the last minute, right before serving. It's easy to make, costs around €3.20 per person, and success comes down to using tempered cheese and stirring until long cheese strings form.

Tonight it's truffade, golden potatoes and fresh tomme cheese stretching off the fork, the kind of thing that warms everyone up.

Truffade du Cantal (cheesy Auvergne potatoes)
For
6 people
Work
35 min
Total time
50 min
Prep
Finished at the last minute
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Truffade smells like garlic and butter rising from the pan, then that fresh tomme cheese stretching into long strings the moment it hits the hot potatoes. The slices turn golden and soft in the fat, crisp at the edges, before melting together with the cheese into something creamy and stringy at the same time.

It's a dish for cool fall and winter evenings when you're hosting without fuss, friends or family, served with a sharp green salad to cut through the richness. Simple to make and loved by kids and adults alike, it warms up a table with nothing more than a good skillet and a bit of patience at the spatula.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 20 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 5 min
  4. When it's time to serve 3 steps, 30 min

In the morning, peel and slice the potatoes, then slice the cheese and keep both chilled. Just before guests arrive, drain and dry the potatoes thoroughly so they brown instead of boiling. At serving time, cook the potatoes for about twenty minutes, then stir in the cheese in front of your guests, this is a dish best eaten straight from the pan.

The ingredients

6 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Firm fleshed potatoes 1.5 kg
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Fresh tomme du Cantal cheese 600 g
  • Butter 30 g

Pantry

  • Pork fat or oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Fine saltoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into thin rounds, and keep them in a bowl of cold water. 15 min

    Don't rinse them too long, a bit of starch helps the truffade hold together.

  2. Cut the fresh tomme cheese into thin slices, wrap them, and keep them chilled. 5 min

    Take them out of the fridge in the early afternoon, tempered cheese melts much faster.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Drain and dry the potato slices thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel. 5 min

    Dry potatoes brown, wet potatoes steam.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Heat the pork fat in a large skillet or Dutch oven, add the potatoes, and cook covered, turning them from time to time. 25 min

    Keep the heat medium, they should turn tender and golden without burning.

  2. Add the crushed garlic, butter, salt, and pepper, then the sliced tomme, and stir vigorously with a spatula until strings form. 5 min

    Lightly crush the potatoes as you stir, it helps the truffade bind together.

  3. Serve right away straight from the pan, with a green salad in vinaigrette to cut through the richness.

    A sharp mustard vinaigrette makes a nice contrast to the cheese.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a fresh, young tomme cheese, not an aged one, since that's what gives truffade its signature strings, an older cheese won't stretch nearly as well.
  • Go easy on salting the potatoes while they cook, the fresh tomme already brings salt, you can adjust at the end if needed.
  • Use a wide, shallow skillet so the potatoes brown in a thin layer instead of steaming in a crowded pan.

The variations

  • Swap the pork fat for sunflower oil for a milder version, the result stays close but loses a bit of its traditional character.
  • Add smoked bacon bits cooked with the potatoes for a heartier truffade, great for a filling family dinner.
  • For a faster weeknight version, use potatoes that are already steamed, you'll save about ten minutes of cooking time.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with mustard vinaigrette
  • Auvergne cured meats as a starter
  • Light red wine from the Cantal region

Storage

Truffade keeps for a day in the fridge in a sealed container, but it loses its stringy texture as it cools. Reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat while stirring, it doesn't freeze well because of the cheese.

Questions about this recipe

Can I use a different cheese instead of fresh tomme?

Fresh tomme is what gives truffade its signature stringy texture, so it's hard to truly replace. Well drained mozzarella can stretch in a similar way, but the flavor will be noticeably different.

Why isn't my truffade stretching into strings?

If the cheese goes into the pan too cold, it melts less evenly and won't stretch as well. Let it sit out for an hour before cooking and stir constantly once it joins the potatoes.

Is truffade a good dish for kids?

Yes, it's a mild, comforting dish with no spice or heat, and kids usually love it. You can simply go lighter on the pepper if you're serving young children.

Do I really need to peel the potatoes ahead of time?

You can peel and slice them in the morning to save time before guests arrive, keeping them in cold water. The key is draining and drying them thoroughly right before cooking.

Can a truffade du Cantal be made ahead?

Partly, the finish happens at the last moment. The recipe needs 35 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 3 steps.

How long does it take to make a truffade du Cantal?

Allow 50 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 35 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a truffade du Cantal?

About 560 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a truffade du Cantal cost?

About €3.20 per person, that's €19.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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