Crozet gratin: the Savoy recipe

I have a confessed weakness for crozet gratin: it's the ultimate comfort food from the Savoy region. The first time I truly "understood" it was after a cold day, when a bubbling dish was placed in the middle of the table, with its golden reblochon crust and the aroma of cream, onion, and bacon… impossible to resist. Since then, I make it whenever I'm craving a simple, straightforward, and truly comforting dish.

The basic recipe is incredibly classic: you cook the crozets (those small square pasta), sauté onion and bacon, then combine with cream (and often a little milk) before covering with Reblochon cheese. In the oven, everything comes together: the crozets absorb the cream, the cheese melts and browns, and you get a mixture that's both creamy and delicious, without any complicated technique.

In terms of nutritional balance, it's definitely a rich dish (cheese and cream), but it also has its strengths: protein from the bacon, calcium from the Reblochon cheese, and a real feeling of fullness. I often serve it with a tangy green salad (vinegar and mustard) to brighten things up.

You can keep it very traditional, as shown here, or adjust two details without betraying the essence: season generously with pepper, and don't add too much salt (the bacon and cheese already do the trick). And if you like textures, a little bonus is to let the gratin rest for 5 minutes: it holds its shape better, and it's even more enjoyable to serve.

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Crozets gratin

Recipe by Sylvain Renan

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: main courseKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: average

Parts

4

parts

Preparation time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A creamy Savoyard gratin, with melting crozets, bacon, gently cooked onions, and Reblochon cheese that coats everything. Simple, rustic, and exactly the kind of dish that brings everyone together at the table.

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Ingredients

• 320g crozets (plain or buckwheat)

• 200g of smoked bacon

• 1 large onion (approx. 180g)

• 1 garlic clove

• 20 cl of full-fat fresh cream

• 10 cl of milk

• 1 Reblochon (approx. 450g)

• 10g butter (for the dish)

• Freshly ground pepper

Preparation steps

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (conventional setting). Generously butter a gratin dish.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the crozets for 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package (they will finish cooking in the oven). Drain them, then return them to the pot off the heat.
• While the crozets are cooking, peel and slice the onion. Finely chop the garlic.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it renders its fat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just to infuse it with flavor. Season generously with pepper.
• Pour the contents of the pan over the crozets . Add the cream and milk, then stir to coat the pasta. Taste before adding salt; it's usually not necessary.
• Pour into the gratin dish and level the surface. Cut the Reblochon cheese in half lengthwise (or into thick slices) and place it on top, rind side up, for a nicely flavored gratin.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then spend 2 to 3 minutes under the grill if you want a more pronounced crust (watch carefully, it browns quickly).
• Let it rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven: the gratin will hold its shape better and you will be able to serve it more easily.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 420g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

If you are preparing the gratin in advance: assemble everything except the Reblochon cheese, cover with plastic wrap, and keep refrigerated. Add the Reblochon cheese just before baking, and allow an additional 5 minutes of cooking time if the dish is thoroughly chilled.

💡 Chef's Tips

To stay true to the traditional style, don't add too much salt: between the bacon and the Reblochon cheese, the seasoning is already quite robust. And cook the crozets slightly al dente, otherwise they'll become too mushy after baking.

🔄 Variations

• Creamier: replace the milk with an extra 10cl of cream (it becomes very rich, but formidable).
• For a more fragrant flavor: add a pinch of nutmeg to the cream before assembling.

Sylvain Renan

Editor-in-chief of the Simple & Bon website. A writer passionate about cooking and property renovation in general. I also love to travel and discover new cultures.