Gratin de Pommes de Terre
Classic French potato gratin. Peppered with thyme and roasted in heavy cream.
Equipment
- Mandoline slicer
- Microplane/zester
Ingredients
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 1 garlic clove, peeled & halved
- ¾ cup 1% milk
- ¾ cup half & half cream
- 2½ tbsp butter, softened
- 3-4 springs thyme, leaves removed
- fresh nutmeg, grated
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Grease a large loaf pan with ½ a tablespoon of butter. Slice the garlic clove in half and lightly rub the loaf pan from top to bottom with the garlic to season the pan.
- In a small saucepan add the milk, cream, and garlic clove halves. Bring to a simmer and be careful not to let the milk boil over. Simmer for 1-2 minutes then remove from the heat.
- Using a mandoline set to ⅛ inch, slice the potatoes thinly and place in a bowl of cold water to wash off the starch.
- Lay the potato slices into the pan, slightly overlapping the edges. Pause between every two layers to season with salt, pepper, a few thyme leaves, and a light grating of nutmeg. At the half-way point add ½ of the milk mixture and 1 tbsp of butter dotted around the potatoes.
- Continue layering the potatoes, s&p, thyme, and nutmeg until all the potatoes are in the dish. Add the remaining cream and butter.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for another 30-45 minutes until the crust is a nice dark brown.
- Leave to cool and set for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Provence to Pondicherry by Tessa Kiros.