A regional dish made of potatoes and a local fresh cheese called “tome”, aligot (pronounce “alleygo”) is deeply rooted in Aubrac culture in the Southern part of Massif Central. Its smooth, elastic  texture stretches longer than your arm, and you’ll never forget its delicate flavor once you try it. At maison Bras, aligot is always served with the main dish, a tradition that goes back to Mémé Bras, Michel’s mother, who prepared it for the restaurant till her 80s. Sébastien has kept the family tradition, sometimes with irresistible variations such as aligot flavored with truffle oil and bread crust… 

Aligot with truffle oil and bread crust:a magic combination of flavor and texture

Ingredients for 4 servings

1 kg potatoes: White potatoes are more suited in terms of texture.

150 g butter

150 g creme fraiche

300 g fresh tome cheese : Tome de Laguiole should ideally have between 2 to 4 days of ripening.

Crushed garlic

Salt & pepper

Preparation

Cook the potatoes and mash them into a puree.

Add the butter and the cream, salt and pepper.

Then put the pan over heat and add shredded tome  cheese.

Cheese should be shredded to melt easily. Tome de Laguiole has a mild nutty flavor, but you could replace it with Cantal tome. Both are mild and fresh, without a strong flavor.

Keep mixing with a wooden spoon, while the cheese will melt little by little.

Stirring is key for a supple texture, but it requires tenacity…

When the mixture becomes homogeneous and texture is smooth, remove from heat. Texture loses elasticity when kept too long over heat so timing is key. You can add crushed garlic at the end to serve it in the traditional style.

At Bras, aligot is brought to the table along with the main dish. Aligot makes a wonderful side with lamb, beef, sausages, chicken…but serving it requires some technique.

Sébastien Bras keeping the family tradition alive.

Good luck!

And also check our 2018 Oct.14 t post  “Aligot and the Bras family:a common thread”.