French potato aligot
Ingredients
 | 4 to 5 medium potatoes peeled and quartered |
 | 1.5 lbs of Tomme d’Auvergne cheese (you can also use a combination of gruyère and mozzarella if you can’t find Tomme d’Auvergne) |
 | 2 minced garlic cloves |
 | 1 cup of heavy cream (or Philadelphia cream cheese) |
 | Salt and pepper |
How to make potato aligot
- Prepare the potatoes: Peel them and cut into even quarters so they cook at the same rate.
- Boil the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are very tender and easily pierced with a knife.
- Drain and purée: Drain thoroughly. While still hot, purée the potatoes until completely smooth using a hand blender, food mill, or food processor. The smoother they are now, the silkier the final result.
- Flavor the base: Return the purée to the same pot over low heat. Stir in the garlic, cream, salt, and pepper, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add the cheese gradually: Sprinkle in the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. Mash and fold the mixture as the cheese melts so it blends evenly into the potatoes.
- Create the stretch: Keep stirring over low heat until the mixture becomes elastic and stretchy — it should pull like melted mozzarella when lifted with a spoon.
- Serve immediately while hot and gloriously stringy. This is not a “make it and forget it” dish — it waits for no one.
If you have visited France in winter, you have to may have tried a wonderful dish called “aligot” (pronounced ali-go). It is a dish made from cheese blended into mashed potatoes, with plenty of cream and crushed garlic mixed in.
It originates from the L’Aubrac area in the southern Massif Central in the Occitanie, but has become a popular dish all over France, especially in winter.
Aligot is basically like a cheese fondue, except slightly thicker because of the mashed potato in it. The cheeses in the recipe are traditionally made with the Tomme de Laguiole (Tomme fraîche), or Tomme d’Auvergne cheese.
Tomme isn’t the easiest to find so other cheeses like the gruyère, cantal, and mozzarella are sometimes used as well.
Similar potato recipes
- Lyonnaise potatoes
- Gratin Dauphinois
- Tartiflette
- Raclette
- Cheesy potato egg scramble
- Mushroom and potato gratin
French Potato Aligot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1½ pounds of Tomme d’Auvergne (or use a combination of gruyère and mozzarella)
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters.
- Place the potatoes in a medium pot and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches along with a teaspoon of salt.
- Boil the potatoes over high heat and cook around 15 minutes until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.
- Purée the potatoes finely using a hand blender, food mill, or food processor.
- In the same pot, over low heat, stir in the garlic, cream, salt, pepper.
- Add the cheese slowly into the pot, stirring and mashing the potatoes and cheese together as you go.
- Continue stirring until the potatoes can be stretched with a spoon like melted mozzarella.
- Serve while warm.
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
Aligot is often served with the sausages or baked pork chops, or even smoked ham. You can also add a green vegetable likes cooked peas, broccoli or green beans to round off the meal.
What drinks to serve with it?
For drinks, try a Riesling from Alsace or white wine from the Loire, to counterbalance the cheese flavor.
If you don’t like white wine, try a light red wine from Beaujolais. You can read more about French wines here.
Can you store it?
Aligot is not a dish that keeps well, as the cheese will accumulate moisture. It can be kept in the fridge for a day or so, but may lose some of its elasticity. I would not recommend putting it in the freezer.
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