This French tourte is a slice of heaven! Packed with potatoes, bacon (jambon) and cream—how could it not? Refrigerated pie dough may be used when you’re in a pinch, but this Pate Brisee style crust is well worth the extra time and little effort. Experience a little taste of France with each and every bite! Serve with a crisp side salad and a tall stem of Chenin Blanc.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

For the filling:

• 7 strips bacon, cooked crisp & chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 small onion, sliced thin (optional)
• 3 sprigs thyme, plus leaves for topping (optional)
• 3 medium baking potatoes, peeled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 1 large egg yolk

Directions:

Make the crust aka Pate Brisee

• Pulse the butter, flour and fine salt in a food processor until the mixture looks like wet sand.
• Add 8 to 10 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough just begins to clump together.
• Divide the dough between 2 resealable plastic bags and pat into disks.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out 1 disk of dough into a 10-inch round on a floured surface.
• Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and refrigerate.

Make the filling:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels. Let cool, then crumble.
• Bring the cream and thyme sprigs to a bare simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat; let steep 5 minutes. Remove the thyme.
• Slice the potatoes and onions (if using) in half lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator.
• Add a layer of potato and onion slices over the dough in a circular pattern, overlapping;
• Season with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkle with about one-quarter of the bacon.
• Continue layering until the pan is nearly full.
• Top evenly with the gruyere.
• Gently pour the cream over the torte, allowing it to seep down between the potato slices.
• Roll out the remaining disk of dough into a 10-inch round on a floured surface.
• Lay the dough over the filling; press the edges of the 2 crusts together and crimp them closed.
• Beat the egg yolk with a splash of water and brush on the top crust.
• With a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the center of the crust to let steam escape.
• Put the tourte on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is browned and the potatoes are cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour. (Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.)
• Let rest at least 15 minutes before cutting into wedges. Slice & top with thyme leaves.