Recipe of the week

A true mountain meal full of cheese, bacon and chunky bread, the Croûte Savoyarde (Savoyard Crust) is a local delicacy and just the ticket after a morning's hard skiing or hiking.  Cheese, potatoes, bread and meat have sustained the hardy alpine population for centuries, so if you're going to visit the Alps, a simple, hearty dish like this must be tried!

Croute Savoyarde

Croûte Savoyarde (to serve 1 person)

Ingredients :
A large chunky slice of rustic wholemeal bread
2 rashers of poitrine fumée (smoked bacon)
A few slices of cheese (ideally Abondance, Compte or Beaufort)
Vin blanc de Savoie (white table wine from the Savoie region)
An egg (optional)
Garlic, single clove cut in half
Nutmeg, finely grated

NB : This dish is served in the plate it's cooked in and due to its simplicity, the quality of the end product is a direct result of the quality of the ingredients.

Rub the garlic clove around the interior of the cooking dish, and all over the bread.  Next, soak the bread in white wine and place it into the dish.  Place the bacon rashers on top of the bread.  Sprinkle a small amount of finely grated nutmeg over the bread and bacon, then cover it all with slices of cheese.

Cook the Croûte in the oven at 200°C for about 20mins or until the cheese is melted and golden brown with crusty edges.

Traditionally an egg is added, but many people prefer not to.  If you fancy adding an egg, break it on top of the cheese to one side so that it stays relatively whole.  Put the dish back into the oven until the egg white is properly cooked, then remove and serve it.

Serve with a glass of white Savoie wine, a simple green salad and some fresh bread.

Voila - an authentic Savoyard meal to feed a hunger grown from healthy outdoor activity!  Bon appétit!