Many recipes for gratin potatoes call for tons of cheese and extra flavorings... But a classic French recipe known as gratin dauphinois requires just five ingredients to create the rich, creamy dish. In the recipe below, thinly sliced potatoes are simmered in seasoned cream before being baked with a touch of garlic to create a simple, flavorsome gratin.
Of course, this base recipe can also be jazzed up a bit if you so desire. A bit of nutmeg, a dab of mustard, or a touch of Espelette pepper are welcome seasoning notes. And while you can certainly top the gratin with cheese if you like, the combination of the starch from the potatoes and the baked cream actually creates a luscious topping all on its own.
Dauphinois potato gratin
8
20 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 20 minutes
2 pounds potatoes
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly on a mandolin slicer.
Rub the halved garlic clove over the entire surface of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Lay out the potatoes in an even layer over the dish.
Mix the cream, halved garlic, salt, and pepper in a pot over a medium-low heat.
When the cream comes to a simmer, take out the garlic and pour it the cream over the potato dish.
Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool about 20 minutes before serving.
