Grab The Cheese To Turn Mashed Potatoes Into A Fancy French Side Dish

When it comes to the side dish game, potatoes reign supreme. Thanks to their versatility — as well as their affordability — many types of potatoes can be prepared in countless ways, from the humble baked potato to the more decadent gratin. Mashed potatoes are arguably the most common potato side dish (and my personal favorite since I was a child), acting as a vehicle for whatever protein or other sides they're paired with. (You don't even need a potato masher to achieve a super-creamy result.) That said, there's one way to take mashed potatoes to an even richer level: the French dish known as pommes aligot.

The iconic pommes aligot (also sometimes just called aligot) is a classic dish from the mountainous Aubrac plateau region of France. According to legend, local monks served bread and cheese soup to Christian pilgrims seeking shelter en route to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and the dish's name is thought to have evolved from the Latin word aliquis to aligot. The recipe is traditionally made with tome fraîche, a fresh, unaged, low-salt cheese with a mild flavor, similar to mozzarella; and a similar fresh cheese was likely used from the dishe's start. (U.S. cooks aren't likely to find tome fraîche, so many iterations made stateside involve Gruyère and mozzarella.) When blended with starchy mashed potatoes, the cheese gives the purée a natural (and unbelievable) cheese pull. So much so, in fact, that the cheesy potatoes have become something of an internet darling. It's also one of the many fancy potato side dishes you shouldn't overlook.

The pommes aligot prep method is easy to replicate at home, and no fancy equipment is required. Boil peeled, buttery yellow potatoes — like Yukon Golds — until tender, then mash until smooth. Add cream, crème fraîche, or a mixture of the two, and season generously with salt and pepper. (You want to season the potatoes liberally, as the starch will soak up plenty of that salt.) As the traditional tome fraîche may be hard to come by in some parts of the world, a blend of Gruyère and mozzarella will deliciously suffice — stir that in (vigorously, mind you) while the purée is still hot, then stretch the potatoes to reveal that glorious cheese pull.

Because the cheese will solidify as the potatoes cool, you'll want to serve pommes aligot immediately. Liberally season the boiling water with salt to help the potatoes absorb more seasoning. To achieve the perfect consistency — and that seriously decadent cheese pull — you need to get the texture of the mashed potatoes right before adding the cheese. The mozzarella should be a low-moisture variety; fresh mozzarella will introduce excess liquid and can result in a grainier consistency. Other cheeses that work well for this technique include Comté and Fontina, both of which melt beautifully alongside Gruyère. Be careful not to leave the mixture on the heat for too long, as the cheese can seize, depriving you of aligot's defining stretchy, homogeneous consistency.

@foodmymuse

Pommes Aligot ✨ these are one of my faves! Traditionally you'd use tome fraîche cheese but I haven't found it here! I used gruyère but comté works too. Tip: do not season the potatoes until after you add the cheese so they don't turn out too salty. Ingredients: * 2 lb yukon gold potatoes. * 1 1/2-2 cup heavy cream. * 1 garlic clove. * 1/4 cup reserved potato water. * 12-14 oz gruyere (freshly grated). * 4 tbsp butter. * Salt and pepper to taste. * Nutmeg to taste. * Chives to taste. Directions: 1. Peel and cube the potatoes. Add to a pot and fill with cold water. Add enough salt for it to be oceany. 2. Boil the potatoes until fork tender. 3. Drain the potatoes and add the cream to the same pot with the garlic clove and turn heat on to low. Let it infuse for about 10 min. 4. Pass your potatoes through a tamis strainer directly onto the cream. Remove the garlic and add in butter. 5. Whip the potatoes over med low heat until all the butter is gone and the potatoes are starchy. Add in nutmeg to taste. 6. Add in the cheese a bit at a time and mix vigorously until melty. Add in the potato water and keep mixing. 7. You'll mix until the potatoes become stretchy and gooey. Taste and add salt/pepper at this point. Serve immediately. #pommesaligot #aligot #potatoes #heartyfood #comfortfood #potatorecipes

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