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Aligot

By · Published · Mains

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A copper saucepan of smooth, stretchy aligot on a cork trivet on a kitchen counter.

Mashed potatoes beaten with garlic, butter and young cheese until they stretch in long, glossy ribbons. A dish from the Aubrac plateau in central France, made here with poutine cheese curds and Gruyère, since tomme fraîche isn't sold in Canada.

Aligot is mashed potato beaten with garlic, butter and a great deal of young cheese until it turns smooth and elastic and stretches off the spoon in long, glossy ribbons. In the Aubrac it's beaten in the pot and served straight from it, next to grilled sausage, and whoever serves lifts the spoon high so it pulls into a ribbon before it lands on the plate. It's cold-weather food for a hungry table.

I've made aligot here with poutine curds, and I'll be honest: they don't give the same stretch as tomme fraîche. The ribbon is shorter and snaps sooner when you lift the spoon. But the aligot is still very good, garlicky, rich and smooth, and the shorter ribbon doesn't take anything away from the taste.

The curds also taste milder and saltier than tomme fraîche, which is why I always add the Gruyère and hold the salt until the end. Get those two things right and it's a dish I'd happily serve any French friend.

What replaces tomme fraîche?

Aligot is built on tomme fraîche, a young, unripened cheese made for it, and it isn't sold in Canada. Poutine curds are the closest thing: young, unripened and stretchy when hot. A little Gruyère brings back the flavour curds lack.

What if your curds aren't squeaky-fresh?

In Quebec, most grocery stores get fresh curds daily. Elsewhere they're usually refrigerated and a few days old: they still melt, but they stretch less and need a few more minutes of beating. If there are no curds at all, half low-moisture mozzarella and half Gruyère should stretch, with less tang.

Making it in Canada

The 2 French ingredients, and what to buy for them in Canada.

  • Tomme fraîche de l'Aubrac→Fresh white cheese curds plus Gruyère

    Tomme fraîche is young cheese that stretches when beaten hot. Poutine curds are young cheddar and stretch when beaten hot, with a shorter ribbon; Gruyère adds the nutty depth they don't have. Curds are salted, so the aligot needs less salt than a French recipe says.

    Walmart lists Saputo Kingsey poutine curds and its own Your Fresh Market cheddar curds; Sobeys lists St-Albert white cheddar curds in 400 g bags. Pick white curds, not coloured. For the Gruyère, Emmi's 150 g Swiss Gruyère wedge at Walmart is exactly the amount; Metro carries Le Superbe Le Gruyère.

    French Cheese in Canada: What to Buy for Each Recipe »

  • Pommes de terre farineuses→Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes

    Russets are the floury ones and give the lightest mash. Yukon Golds are creamier and a little more forgiving. Avoid red or waxy potatoes: they turn gluey when beaten.

Good to know: Buy the curds as close to cooking day as you can and check the packing date on the bag.

Ready to cook?
A copper saucepan of smooth, stretchy aligot on a cork trivet on a kitchen counter.

Aligot

Mashed potatoes beaten with garlic, butter and young cheese until they stretch in long, glossy ribbons. A dish from the Aubrac plateau in central France, made here with poutine cheese curds and Gruyère, since tomme fraîche isn't sold in Canada.

Prep time
20 min
Cook time
30 min
Total time
50 min
Servings
6

Ingredients

Original recipe: 6 servings.

Instructions

  1. Boil the potatoes. Put the potatoes in cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain well and let them steam dry for a minute.
  2. Mash. Pass the potatoes through a ricer, or mash very smoothly, back into the pot. Never use a blender or food processor: it turns the potatoes gluey.
  3. Add butter and garlic. Over low heat, beat in the butter, garlic and warm cream until smooth.
  4. Add the cheese. Add the curds and Gruyère a handful at a time, beating with a wooden spoon in a figure-eight after each addition.
  5. Beat until it stretches. Keep beating over low heat 5–8 minutes, lifting the spoon high, until the aligot is smooth, glossy, pulls away from the pan in one piece and stretches in long ribbons. Taste before seasoning: the curds are already salted.
  6. Serve immediately. Serve straight from the pot with grilled sausages or roast pork.

Notes

  • If it's stiff and won't stretch, beat in a splash more warm cream over low heat.
  • Aligot doesn't wait. If it must, keep it covered over the lowest heat for up to 15 minutes and beat in a spoonful of warm cream just before serving.
  • Leftovers can be shaped into patties and pan-fried.
  • Serve it with Toulouse sausages if you find them (Metro carries several; Real Canadian Superstore has them in Dalisa's pork sausage combo), or any plain pork sausage. Avoid mild Italian: it usually has fennel.

Course: Mains · Cuisine: French · Adapted for Canadian kitchens

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Canadian guides

French ingredients and what to buy in Canada »

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