With thinly sliced, tender Russet potatoes nestled in a thick and decadent cream sauce and nutty parmesan cheese, this thoroughly indulgent side dish might edge out your dinner entrée and become the star of the show!
Gratin dish, approximately 12 inches long, 2 inches deep, and 7 inches wide at the widest point. Other shallow casserole dishes can be used as well as a pie plate.
Mandoline or a sharp knife for slicing the potatoes.
Ingredients
4medium russet potatoes,peeled or unpeeled, thinly sliced (about ⅛-¼ inch thick)
2½cupsheavy cream
1½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
1cupgrated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Peel the potatoes if desired, and slice between an eighth and a quarter of an inch thick.
Add the cream, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl or 4-cup measuring cup. Mix well and set aside.
Spray a large gratin baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or grease it with softened butter. Place about a quarter of the potato slices in a single layer on the bottom of the dish.
Sprinkle a quarter of a cup of the parmesan cheese evenly over the potatoes. Pour a quarter of the heavy cream mixture evenly over the top.
Repeat three more times to form four layers, ending with the rest of the cream and then the cheese. Press the potatoes down gently with your hand to ensure they are completely covered with cream.
Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills and bake uncovered for about 60 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Place a piece of foil loosely over the top if the topping gets too brown before the potatoes are done.
Notes
A mandoline (not to be confused with a mandolin, a musical instrument) will make short work of slicing your potatoes. I have an OXO Good Grips Adjustable Handheld Mandoline Slicer, which is very easy to use. It is small, easily stored, and under $15. If you don't have a mandoline, use a sharp knife and slice the potatoes from ⅛ to ¼ of an inch thick, and as uniformly as possible. The thicker your slices, the longer they will take to cook. If they are not uniform in thickness, they will not cook evenly.A gratin dish is an oval stoneware, shallow baking dish, usually only one to two inches deep. If you don't have one, a regular oven-proof casserole dish or pie plate works too!