Classic French-Style Au Gratin (Dauphinoise) Potatoes
I may have cracked a genius code! I think many of us have made au gratin potatoes, cooked them for hours, and still found they’re not quite tender enough to eat. I’m absolutely giving myself away when I say I’ve done this many times. The urge to skip par cooking the potatoes is always stronger than my absolute knowledge they will not bake in time for dinner.
When I set out to make these beautiful potatoes for you, in all honestly, I was dreading the cooking of the thin slices. I do have a recipe I love for dauphinoise potatoes (potatoes cooked in cream) wherein I simmer the sliced potatoes in the cream and milk before I add them to the baking dish. But while I was slicing the potatoes for this recipe, something incredible happened. I thought, Danielle, what if you steamed the potatoes with a bit of water in the pan?
I had to try it. So, before any cream hit these spuds I baked them with just one cup of water, and the result was GENIUS. The potatoes were fork-tender in some areas and a bit al dente in others but perfectly ready for cream! The oven did all the work! I didn’t have to boil anything!
These potatoes are not only delicious, but they are also easy, and they make all your French dreams come true! Happy cooking!
Ingredients:
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4 pounds Yukon gold Idaho potatoes
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1 cup water
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2 shallots or 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
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Salt and pepper to taste
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5 sprigs of fresh thyme
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3 cloves of garlic, sliced
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1 ½ cups Parmesan, freshly grated, plus more for sprinkling on top
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2 cups heavy cream
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½ cup milk or half & half
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thinly slice 4 pounds (roughly 12) medium gold potatoes.
- Line a metal 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and stack thin potatoes on their sides to fill the whole pan. I like to mix up the layers so they are not all uniform.
- Slice onions and tuck throughout the potatoes.
- Pour water over potatoes and season generously with salt & pepper. Add fresh thyme.
- Cover potatoes with another piece of parchment paper, then cover that with foil. Tightly seal the dish.
- Bake 30-45 minutes.
- Remove potatoes and add fresh garlic, parmesan, cream, and milk.
- Using a fork, move potatoes around in between the layers so that cream touches between each potato slice.
- Cover tightly and return to the oven 30-45 minutes (the pan may bubble over, so it’s best to place on a baking tray).
- Remove potatoes and uncover. Add a bit more cheese and bake another 10-15 minutes, uncovered.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
