Vegetables and cereals
Potatoes and polenta take centre-stage
Savoie's frequently harsh climate and rugged terrain are best suited to hardy vegetables, such as cabbage and potatoes. Most cereal dishes, including polenta and crozets, originated in Italy, although they were quickly integrated into Savoyard cuisine.
Potatoes (or “tartifles”)
The potato was introduced into the region from Italy and by the 18th century it had become a basic part of the Savoyard diet. Eaten as an accompaniment or as the basis of a main dish, potatoes are a central part of most Savoyard meals. Tartiflette and farcement (potato loaf with bacon, dried fruit and spices) are undoubtedly the best known of Savoie and Haute-Savoie’s specialities.
Recipe : Potato dumplings, Tartiflette, Farcement
Cardoon (artichoke thistle)
Cardoon is definitely the most Savoyard of vegetables: a member of the artichoke family, it is completely unknown in many other areas. Only the “cardes” (stalks) are eaten, generally in the form of a gratin. Cardoon gratin with marrowbone is a traditional Christmas dish in Savoie and Haute-Savoie.
Recipe: gratin de cardons
Cabbage
Green cabbage used to be a staple food in Savoie. As well as being the main ingredient of “potée savoyarde”, it is also used for making the pork-based dish farcement.
Polenta
This is a form of corn meal that originated with the annexation of the Piedmont by the Duke of Savoie. It is part of traditional Savoie cooking and is eaten either as a purée or griddled. It is a perfect accompaniment for meat in sauces, pork, rabbit and diots.
Recipe: Polenta
Crozets
Crozets are small pasta squares made from buckwheat or wheat flour and eaten as a gratin or as an accompaniment for dishes with sauces.
Recipe: Crozets
Fidés
Fidés are definitely the least well known of the region’s cereals. They are a sort of thick vermicelli that are mostly eaten in the high Alpine valleys.
