Truffade – fried potatoes with chopped tomatoes from the Dauphiné

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg potatoes, waxy
• 150 g bacon, streaky
• 4 tomatoes, ripe
• 3 tbsp oil, neutral
• Salt and pepper, black, freshly ground

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Wash and brush the potatoes and boil them in salted water until tender. If you can plan ahead, it’s a good idea to do this the day before, as the potato starch will bind better and the potatoes won’t fall apart and stick together when frying. Score the tomatoes, blanch them, rinse them, and peel them. Once they’ve cooled, quarter them, remove the stems, and remove the seeds. Finely dice the flesh and drain any remaining liquid in a colander. Peel the cooled potatoes and thinly slice them. Dice the bacon and fry it in a large, cast-iron skillet with high sides. Remove it from the skillet before it starts to brown and set aside. Then heat the oil in the skillet to medium heat. Add the potato slices to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Turn the potatoes occasionally and fry until golden brown. Add the bacon and tomatoes and fry in the skillet for a few more minutes. Do not stir. Turn out onto a large serving platter, crispy side up. The truffade is a good side dish to veal, lamb, or poultry dishes. It also makes a lovely main course for two people when traditional fried potatoes seem too heavy in the summer.