Alan Davidson

Aligote

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

aligote an unusual dish of mashed potato in which very fresh cantal cheese is melted, the whole then being vigorously beaten to produce a smooth elastic texture. The elasticity of this dish, which is a speciality of Auvergne, is such that a pair of scissors has to be provided when it is served.

The success of the dish depends on choosing suitable potatoes; on using butter and cream when mashing them, to produce a very rich and smooth texture; and on the rapidity as well as the vigour of the beating.