Golden Potato Gratin with Thyme
Serves 8Prep 25m · Cook 1h 10mDinnerSides
My mother made this only when company came, which meant we children spent whole dinners praying for guests. She layered the potatoes like she was tiling a tiny roof, and no one was allowed to rush the resting. I once cut into it early, and she still brings it up at holidays.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon butter, for the dish
- 1 cup grated Gruyère-style or sharp white cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Warm the cream, milk, garlic, thyme sprigs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan until steaming. Turn off the heat and let it sit 10 minutes, then discard the garlic and sprigs.
- Layer a third of the potatoes in the dish, overlapping like roof tiles. Pour over a third of the cream and scatter a third of the thyme leaves and cheese. Repeat twice more, ending with cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes.
- Uncover and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, until deeply golden and a knife slides through without resistance.
Recipe by Claire D.