Savoyards’ Secret Recipe to Transform Leftover Potatoes After Raclette Revealed!

Indeed, you peeled quite a few potatoes for your raclette gathering. Maybe even a few too many. Despite your friends devouring slices of cheese and various cold cuts, their hearty appetites couldn’t quite finish off the massive stock of boiled potatoes. Now, you’ve got about ten of them left in the fridge. Mashed potatoes? Soup? Why not try something a little different? As the temperature drops, you’re craving a comforting mountain dish that warms the heart, without having to pull out all the pots and pans again—having another raclette party back-to-back is not on the menu.

In the Savoyard mountains, leftover raclette potatoes are transformed into an endlessly indulgent peasant recipe. It’s not quite a tortilla, nor is it a gratin, but this traditional specialty incorporates elements of both. Derived from the patois phrase “mater la faim” (to quench hunger), the Savoyard matafan is a type of hearty pancake made from boiled potatoes and local cheese, perfect for satisfying the hunger of skiers and hikers after a cold outing.

In the show Météo à la carte, Mickaël, the chef of an iconic establishment in La Clusaz, shares his recipe. He begins by coarsely mashing his cooked potatoes with the bottom of a pot (making sure not to turn them into puree). Then, he prepares a pancake batter by whisking together 5 eggs, 300 grams of flour, 125 grams of whole or semi-skimmed milk, and 50 grams of melted butter, flavored with a dash of fir liqueur (alternatively, génépi or chartreuse could be used) and finely chopped herbs (here, chervil and chives). He lets the batter rest for 20 minutes in the fridge before folding in the potato pieces and cooking the mixture in a greased skillet over low heat for a few minutes, just until the batter turns golden and begins to pull away from the edges.

He then tops it with slices of Tomme de Beauregard, a soft, raw milk cheese whose flavor is somewhat reminiscent of Reblochon – since it’s hard to find, it can be substituted with Comté or Beaufort – and finishes baking in the oven for 15 minutes at 180°C (356°F).

This dish is a true “moment of sharing and conviviality, especially in winter,” the chef rejoices, also noting its role in waste reduction. Certainly, no one will be left hungry.