Potato Bacon Cheddar Tart
I’ve been making this dish for a long time. It’s a bit involved but it remains one of the most impressive potato dishes I know. This special occasion treat features the classic trio of potatoes, bacon and cheddar. It will take you a while to make, but the results are more than worth it. It’s the sort of thing that looks complicated until you try it and quickly realize how simple it is to master.
Ingredients
2 pounds room temperature bacon
lots freshly ground pepper
4 cups shredded aged cheddar
5 or 6 large baking potatoes (unpeeled)
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly grated pepper
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
lots freshly ground pepper
4 cups shredded aged cheddar
5 or 6 large baking potatoes (unpeeled)
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly grated pepper
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Carefully arrange the bacon in a radial pattern from the centre of the bottom of a 10- or 12-inch (25 or 30 cm) round non-stick baking pan to the lower edge of the rim and continuing up and over the sides of it. Let the ends hang over. The slices should overlap slightly around the sides of the pan. To reduce the thickness of the bacon in the centre, stagger every other piece, starting it 2 inches (5 cm) from the centre and extending it further than the adjacent slices.
With the palm of your hand, flatten the centre area, leaving no gaps in the bacon. Season the bacon with lots of pepper and then sprinkle on several spoonfuls of the shredded cheddar.
Slice the potatoes as thinly and uniformly as you can, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
Arrange a circular pattern of overlapping slices around the inside bottom edge of the pan. Continue arranging overlapping layers of the potatoes until the bottom is evenly covered. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
Mix together the onion and garlic and sprinkle some of the mixture onto the potatoes. Continue with a layer of the shredded cheese. Cover with another layer of the potato, pressing it down firmly before continuing with alternate layers of the potatoes, onion mixture and cheese, insetting each a bit from the edge of the pan until the top is an inch (2.5 cm) or so higher than the pan’s rim. Fold the overhanging bacon neatly up and over the top of the potatoes.
Trim a small piece of parchment paper and place it in between an ovenproof lid and the bacon. This will prevent the bacons ends from pulling back and shrinking during cooking.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You’ll know it’s done when a small, thin bladed knife inserts easily.
Pour off as much of the fat around the edges as possible. Let the tart stand for 15 minutes and then invert it onto a cutting surface. Slice into wedges and serve immediately.
You may refrigerate any leftovers and reheat them later it in a microwave.
Carefully arrange the bacon in a radial pattern from the centre of the bottom of a 10- or 12-inch (25 or 30 cm) round non-stick baking pan to the lower edge of the rim and continuing up and over the sides of it. Let the ends hang over. The slices should overlap slightly around the sides of the pan. To reduce the thickness of the bacon in the centre, stagger every other piece, starting it 2 inches (5 cm) from the centre and extending it further than the adjacent slices.
With the palm of your hand, flatten the centre area, leaving no gaps in the bacon. Season the bacon with lots of pepper and then sprinkle on several spoonfuls of the shredded cheddar.
Slice the potatoes as thinly and uniformly as you can, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
Arrange a circular pattern of overlapping slices around the inside bottom edge of the pan. Continue arranging overlapping layers of the potatoes until the bottom is evenly covered. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
Mix together the onion and garlic and sprinkle some of the mixture onto the potatoes. Continue with a layer of the shredded cheese. Cover with another layer of the potato, pressing it down firmly before continuing with alternate layers of the potatoes, onion mixture and cheese, insetting each a bit from the edge of the pan until the top is an inch (2.5 cm) or so higher than the pan’s rim. Fold the overhanging bacon neatly up and over the top of the potatoes.
Trim a small piece of parchment paper and place it in between an ovenproof lid and the bacon. This will prevent the bacons ends from pulling back and shrinking during cooking.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You’ll know it’s done when a small, thin bladed knife inserts easily.
Pour off as much of the fat around the edges as possible. Let the tart stand for 15 minutes and then invert it onto a cutting surface. Slice into wedges and serve immediately.
You may refrigerate any leftovers and reheat them later it in a microwave.
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Recipe Submitted by
Chef Michael
I’m a FoodTV host, cookbook author and official food ambassador for Prince Edward Island, more importantly I’m a Dad and passionate home cook!
Variation
Try mixing a few spoonfuls of your favourite fresh herb into the onion mixture. Thyme, rosemary and tarragon all work well.
Tried this tonight. It was delicious. Absolutely perfect.
I was new at cooking and learned a lot on cooking channels, especially with you Michael and I did make this dish for brunch and I sure impressed my family …. with one little flaw……I got so excited with the look of it I doubled the recipe but not the cooking time so instead of eating this dish at brunch they stayed until dinner to taste it because they were so intrigued; it looked so incredibly good cooking in the oven. Thank you for this.
This was fabulous! My husband couldn’t get enough of it. He even had it for breakfast! Definitely a family favourite!
I have made this for a friend who is a chef in Toronto, she was very impressed with me! I have also made it in smaller single serving dishes, because I’m single and live alone and couldn’t find anyone who wanted to come over, WHY, I have no idea, they missed out!
I am trying this for the first time today to go to a family potluck, I am sure they will be asking for the recipe.It sounds so good . Thank you Michael. I saw you make it on TV with no sound while waiting in at motor vehicle and it was not that hard to do,which I like!!!!
We made the potato bacon tart, soooooooooo good.
It’s in the oven right now. We can’t wait!
My 7 yr old daughter & I watched this episode of Chef at Home; we made this and the coconut-chocolate tart and she loved them both! Thanks! Now she wants to be a chef when she grows up; a “food designer” she calls it! ;) P.S. We *loved* visiting PEI a few years back. Cheers from the West Coast of Vancouver Island!
My daughter and I had fun making this and loved it! I served it with a maple cream sauce. Terrific!
Chef Michael, a friend of mine in PEI sent me a video of you cooking this tart, the minute I saw it I had to give it a try, and I am so glad I did. Absolutely delicious and so easy. Now I get to cook it again for our Thanksgiving breakfast, Woohoo!! My sister will be visiting for the holiday and nobody could beat her inventive breakfasts….untill now. That means I will be one up on her LOL. Thanks for such a great recipe and making me look real good at breakfast on Thanksgiving. Have a great day!!
One word AMAZING!
I have tried this recipe and found it to be excellent. My wife raves over the flavours in this dish. The only thing I add is a small amount of fresh rosemary sprinkled over each layer of potatoes. Try adding some fresh gouda cheese with the cheddar cheese layers.
This sounds awesome! For sure I’m going to try this and get back to you on how it turns out!