With Easter on its way, my mind turns to scalloped potatoes. And really, what’s not to love? We’re talking about sliced potatoes baked in a cream sauce, then topped with cheese or crumbs or both! Still, it takes some care to ensure that the potatoes are properly seasoned, properly tender, and as creamy as a dream.
I’ve made scalloped potatoes using both russets and Yukon gold potatoes, and each has advantages. The russets pick up more cream flavor, while the Yukons were firmer and retained more of potato flavor. In this case, I went with richness: The russets got the nod.
All of the potatoes must be sliced to the same thickness, or they’ll cook unevenly.
To ensure proper seasoning, add an exact amount of salt, garlic and thyme to the milk-cream mixture, then to pour it hot onto the potatoes. Those tubers drink it in like they have been stranded in the desert for a week. And the finished product is amazing.
Scalloped Potatoes
Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes (35 minutes active); Servings: 8
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon
ground black pepper
3 pounds
russet potatoes
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat, cover and let steep while you prepare the potatoes.
Peel the potatoes, then using a mandoline or the slicing disk of a food processor, slice them crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and garlic cloves from the milk mixture, then pour about a quarter of the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Add the potatoes, then the remaining milk mixture to the baking pan. Stir the potatoes to make sure they are separated, then press them to distribute them evenly.
Bake the potatoes on the middle shelf of the oven until the liquid has thickened and the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top of the potatoes, return the pan to the oven and bake until the top is browned, about 10 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 390 calories; 200 calories from fat (51 percent of total calories); 23 g fat (14 g saturated; 0.5 g trans fats); 80 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 10 g protein; 680 mg sodium.
