This rich and cheesy potato dish takes its name from the Italian fonduta, which is melted fontina cheese eaten with small, boiled potatoes or bread for dipping. I combine Yukon gold potatoes—love those little guys for their starchiness—with fontina cheese to make an all-in-one fonduta experience. And since I’m not fancy, you don’t even have to peel them. Potato Fontina Fonduta is fantastic served alongside my Lamb T-Bones (page 163). (Here’s a time management tip for that pairing: Mill the potato mixture and set it aside. While the lamb T-bones are resting, finish the preparation of the potatoes in the skillet, melting the cheeses and warming the potatoes, so that they will be good and hot and ready to serve alongside the lamb.)
SERVES 4
11/2 lb [680 g] Yukon gold potatoes, halved or, if large, quartered
2 cups [480 ml] heavy cream
1 cup [240 ml] white wine, preferably Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc
1/4 cup [60 ml] chicken broth, homemade (page 148) or store-bought
1/2 cup [40 g] freshly grated fontina or Gruyère cheese
1/4 cup [25 g] finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the potatoes, cover with the cream and white wine, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer, cooking until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and the cream reduces a bit, about 20 minutes.
Set your food mill over a large heat-proof bowl and pass the entire contents of the pot through the mill. Transfer the milled, super-creamy potato mixture to a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken broth, both cheeses, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and fresh grinds of pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts and gets nice and stringy, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.