Aligot

Boil the potatoes

Put the potato chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water by about 5 cm, and add a generous handful of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently until completely tender.

• 1 kg potatoes
• to taste salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : a knife or fork slides into the potatoes with no resistance

Dry and mash

Drain the potatoes well and set the pot back over very low heat for a minute, shaking it gently, so any extra moisture evaporates — this keeps the aligot from turning watery later. While still hot, pass the potatoes through a ricer or food mill until completely smooth.

• 1 kg potatoes (from step 1)

✅ C'est prêt quand : the mash is perfectly smooth, without a single lump

Mix in butter and milk

If using garlic, rub the crushed clove around the inside of the pot and discard it, for a faint perfume without any lumps of garlic. Off the heat, beat the butter and warm milk into the hot mash with a wooden spoon until silky and fully combined.

• 100 g butter
• 150 ml milk
• 1 clove garlic (optional)

Melt in the cheese

Set the pot over the lowest possible heat, around 60°C (140°F) — it should never bubble or sizzle. Add the sliced cheese in three or four batches, beating constantly in one direction with a wooden spatula, lifting and folding the mixture over itself, and letting each batch melt in fully before adding the next. This slow, steady beating is what turns aligot stretchy instead of greasy.

• 500 g tomme fraîche

✅ C'est prêt quand : lifting the spatula pulls up one long, smooth, elastic ribbon that does not break

Season and serve

Season with pepper, and more salt if needed, stirring briefly to combine. Serve the aligot immediately, straight from the pot, while it is still hot and at its stretchiest — it firms up and loses its elasticity as it cools.

• to taste black pepper