When the guys at Albert Bartlett asked if I’d be up for creating a potato-based fakeaway recipe for them, a poutine was one of the first things that came to my mind. If you don’t know what it is, it’s essentially Canada’s answer to chips, cheese and gravy, and is one of the most popular dishes at Glasgow and Edinburgh favourite, Bread Meats Bread.

The dish consists of chips, gravy, and cheese curds. The best way to explain them is that they are similar in flavour to mozzarella but in texture, they are kind of like halloumi, with that satisfying squeakiness. Sadly, after a bit of research, I struggled to find any in the UK that weren’t over-priced and hard to come by, so for my poutine recipe, I’ve gone for the next best thing. I’ve used block mozzarella, the kind you get for pizza. I used this one from Tesco, but you should be able to find it in most supermarkets!

This is SUCH an easy recipe and holy crap does it taste good. Proper filthy fakeaway indulgence, best enjoyed on the couch on a Friday night with a cold beer or wine in hand! Let me know if you decide to make it – comment below and be sure to tag me in your photos @theglasgowdiet on Instagram!

Homemade Poutine

Ingredients:
750g Albert Bartlett potatoes, cut into chips
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt & pepper
25g unsalted butter
2 tbsp plain flour
450ml good-quality beef stock (I used the Tesco Finest one that comes in a pouch)
1 tsp Marmite (optional, but it WORKS)
1 tbsp cornflour
200g block mozzarella (look for the “mozzarella for pizza” one, not fresh ball mozzarella)
25g grated mature cheddar

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180c (fan). Put the chips onto a baking tray, season with salt and pepper, and toss in enough oil to coat all the chips evenly. Cook in the oven for 20-30 mins until golden brown and crispy.
2. While they cook, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the flour and cook for a few mins until pale gold. Add the beef stock and the marmite and whisk until smooth. Cook over a medium heat until beginning to thicken. Mix the cornflour into a slurry with 1 tbsp of water and whisk it into the gravy until thick. If you want yours thicker, repeat with more cornflour. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.
3. Tear the mozzarella into small chunks. Remove the chips from the oven and put them on a plate. Scatter over the mozzarella chunks and the grated cheddar. Turn the oven off and put the plate in the oven for 1 minute. Remove, pour over the gravy, and DIG THE HELL IN.