A good potato gratin (or what my grandmother would call scalloped potatoes) should be creamy and full of rich potato flavor. It should also be elegant to behold, with multiple layers of thinly cut potatoes and a crusty, golden brown top.
I have tried making potato gratin with eggs and milk (the eggs usually break out of the custard base), with béchamel sauce (too heavy) or with milk or half and half (too thin and watery). The best base for the gratin is straight heavy cream, strongly seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper.
The secret to an attractive potato gratin — one that holds together nicely when you cut it — is to slice the potatoes as thin as possible using a mandolin, to layer the potatoes evenly and to press down on the potatoes before they go in the oven.
Note: If you want a more fragrantly flavored gratin, add rosemary, thyme or sage to the cream, or even caramelized onions or chopped, cooked bacon.
Serve the Creamy Potato Gratin with roast pork, beef or lamb.
Creamy Potato Gratin
Makes one 10-inch by 10-inch gratin dish. Seerves 8-10.
Ingredients
3 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
8 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
2 cup grated Parmesan, Piave or Pecorino cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together cream, salt, pepper and garlic. Set aside.
Butter a 10-inch by 10-inch square, 2-inch deep baking dish. Using a Japanese mandolin, slice the potatoes horizontally about A/f inch thick. Overlap the potatoes evenly, pressing down after each layer. Sprinkle the grated cheese every other layer.
Once you’ve layered all the potatoes in the gratin dish, pour over the cream mixture. Press down firmly on the gratin and cover with foil. Place the gratin on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the potatoes have absorbed the cream and a knife inserted in the center of the gratin slides through evenly.
Turn up the oven to 400 and bake until golden brown. Serve immediately.
