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Herbed potato and crème fraîche tourte

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Herbed potato and crème fraîche tourte

By Emma Knowles
  • 45 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 35 mins cooking plus resting, cooling
  • Serves 8
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Herbed potato and crème fraîche tourte
This tourte, or pie, originates from the Auvergne region. Most traditional recipes call for the crème fraîche to be poured into a hole in the top of the tourte in the last minutes of cooking, but we've found spreading it between the layers of potatoes produces a more even result. You could use shop-bought puff pastry if you're short of time.

Ingredients

  • 20 gm butter
  • 8 golden shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 400 gm crème fraîche
  • 1 tbsp each finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, chives and tarragon
  • ¼ tsp finely grated nutmeg
  • 1.2 kg Dutch cream potatoes, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • For brushing: eggwash
Rough puff pastry
  • 300 gm plain flour (2 cups)
  • 300 gm cold butter, coarsely chopped

Method

Main
  • 1
    For rough puff pastry, combine flour and ½ tsp fine salt in a food processor, pulse to combine. Add butter, pulse until small lumps are dispersed throughout mixture, then turn onto a work surface and make a well in the centre. Add 120ml iced water and combine with a pastry scraper. Bring pastry together with the heel of your hand, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (30 minutes). Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a rough 15cm x 40cm rectangle. Fold short ends into centre, fold in half to form a book fold, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (30-40 minutes). Repeat twice more, then refrigerate to rest for at least 30 minutes before using.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160C. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming, add shallot, garlic and thyme and stir occasionally until tender and fragrant (4-5 minutes), set aside to cool.
  • 3
    Combine crème fraîche, herbs and nutmeg in a bowl, season to taste and set aside.
  • 4
    Roll out one-third of the pastry to a 19cm x 29cm rectangle, place on a tray and refrigerate until required. Roll out remaining pastry to 28cm x 38cm rectangle, line a 20cm x 30cm x 3cm-deep tin, letting pastry overhang sides. Arrange one-third of potato slices over pastry, seasoning generously as you go, spread with half the crème fraîche mixture, then scatter over half the shallot mixture. Repeat layering, finishing with a layer of potato. Place reserved pastry on top, then brush with eggwash and fold in edges. Brush edges with eggwash, then slash in several places with a small knife. Bake until pastry is golden and potato is tender (1-1½ hours; cover with foil if pastry browns too quickly). Serve hot.

Notes

Drink Suggestion: A crisp, floral sauvignon blanc such as a Sancerre. Drink suggestion by Max Allen