Aligot

aligot - www.healthnote25.com

Aligot is a traditional dish derived from Aubrac (Aveyron, Cantal, Lozère, Midi Pyrenees) an area in the southern part of the Massif Central of France. This dish is made from melted cheese and mixed with crushed potatoes or mashed potatoes, often also mixed with garlic.  This fondue-like dish is often found in restaurants in the Auvergne region.

Traditionally the Aligot is made with a mix of Tomme de Laguiole or Tomme d'Auvergne cheese, the aligot itself is a typical French country meal. Other cheeses are used besides Tomme, mozzarella and cantal cheese. The use of Laguiole cheese has a role in contributing its peanut-like taste.

Aligots are made from battered potato dough and mixed with butter, cream, garlic, and melted cheese. This dish is ready when it has shown a smooth and elastic texture. Although many recipes differ, the recipes from Larousse Gastronomique show that it takes 1 kg of potatoes, 500 g of cheese tomme fraîche, Laguiole, or Cantal cheese, 2 cloves of garlic, 30 g of butter, salt, and pepper.

This dish was originally made using bread based by priests, who prepared supplies before a religious journey to Santiago de Compostela and stopped to rest at Aveyron Potatoes and substituted for bread after the dish came to France. Now this dish is often enjoyed at meetings held in villages and celebrations as main dishes. Aligot is still hand-crafted in Aveyron, in homes and on the street markets.