Potatoes au Gratin
I have long been intimidated by this classic French dish. The potatoes are so thin! So artfully arranged! But one day, I had nothing in the fridge but the ingredients for this gratin. And you know what? It wasn’t so hard. And it's every bit as delicious as it looks. Though, I must confess, I'm a bit of a cheater. I used a food processor (and you should too!) to get those oh so thin, even potato slices. A mandoline slicer will give you the same result.
Also known as Scalloped Potatoes or Potatoes Anna, I love this recipe for a number of reasons, but mainly because it can be made in any season since potatoes are available locally year round. I had Yukon Golds, but use whatever variety you like (except blue potatoes, which don't work well here), so long as the potatoes are of equal size and not too small.
This beautiful dish is suitable for fancy occasions, but also has the makings of ultimate comfort food. Make it for date night then eat the leftovers on the couch the next day.
Potato Gratin
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled
1 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or herb of your choice
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces plus more for greasing the pan
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9" round baking dish or oven proof skillet (a cast iron works really nicely here).
In a small bowl, combine the cheese, thyme and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Using a or the slicing disc of a food processor or a mandoline, slice the potatoes as thinly as possible.
Arrange the potato slices in concentric circles in the prepped baking dish, working from the outside in and slightly overlapping the edges as you go. Top with a third of the cheese mixture. Repeat these steps til you have three layers of potatoes, topped with cheese. Don't worry if you don't have enough potatoes to make a complete third layer.
Pour the milk around the sides of the dish, and lightly press the potatoes flat with a spatula. Dab with remaining butter and pop in the oven and bake until the potatoes are soft and the top is golden brown - about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.
