Aligot (Mashed Potatoes With Cheese)
Updated June 10, 2024
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- ¼pound cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ½cup cream, heated
- ½pound Comté or Gruyère cheese, grated
- Salt to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
628 calories; 52 grams fat; 32 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 531 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Simmer the potatoes in water until very tender to the point of a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, and tip out any remaining water from the pot. Push the hot potatoes through a ricer back into the pot. Over low heat, use a heatproof spatula to move the potatoes around the pot for a minute so that any excess water can evaporate.
- Step 2
Add butter to the potatoes, half at a time, stirring until completely incorporated. Add hot cream, half at a time, stirring until incorporated. Add cheese a little bit at a time, stirring vigorously, until all the cheese is evenly melted and the spoon makes cheesy strings as you pull it away from the potatoes. If necessary, turn the heat up a little. Taste, and season with salt. Serve.
Private Notes
Comments
Look, I hate to be a pedant but, though I'm sure that Comté or Gruyère makes a lovely dish, it just isn't Aligot. Aged cheeses might well negate the role of an Aligot, i.e. to serve as a comforting, but unassuming backdrop for a more assertive dish, such as a daube. I live in Paris (and lived in Aligot country for more than 20 years) so I'm not sure what would be the best substitute available in the USA. Still, a mozzarella would come closer to the original than an aged cheese.
I leave the skins on the potato quarters; they come off in the ricer.
This is very close to a truffade: chop some bacon into an iron skillet over low heat. When the fat is rendered, pile on thinly sliced potatoes (I use red). Cover at low heat for an hour. When the spuds are soft, and the bottom is browned, add diced (or shredded or whatever) cantal (or cheddar) and stir it up into a wild mess. It should also get stringy.
I first had it in the Auvergne, and have loved it since.
Are these proportions correct? One pound of russet potatoes is really only one single potato, at least in San Francisco grocery stores. Mixing a single potato with that much cheese, cream and butter seems off, but maybe it's more fondue-like and less mashed-potato-like than I'm thinking...
OMG! I made this to accompany a fresh ham for Easter dinner. I followed this recipe almost to the letter. It is one of the most delicious recipes on earth. Don't be intimidated by the instructions. It actually comes together pretty easily, albeit with a little extra arm action.
I have often made pilgrimages on the Way of St. James through the Aubrac plateau, where the aligot was invented and is served to hikers in huts. It is made from local cheeses, especially the young Tome de Laguiole or Tome de l'Aubrac. Both are fresh cheeses - unlike Comte, Cantal or Gruyere, which are often mentioned here. Nevertheless, in the absence of the original cheeses, I like to make the Aligot with another tangy cheese and it works well with the cheeses mentioned.
I absolutely love this recipe! Followed it exactly, except I added a bit of creme fraiche to get the texture just right. I am glad the good cheeses are expensive now, otherwise I would be tempted to make this more often, and would no longer fit in my clothes. It is a special treat, thank you for the recipe!
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