Potatoes Gratin with Garlic - A French tradition

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 5

Servings: people

Potatoes Gratin with Garlic is one of those simple side dishes that proves you do not need a long list of ingredients to create something truly delicious

Ingredients

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup olive oil
12 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
water, as needed boiling water

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven at 350ᵒ.
In a mixing bowl toss together the potatoes slices and olive oil until all the slices are evenly coated.
Spread half the slices in the bottom of a large shallow 6 cups gratin dish. Distribute the garlic cloves evenly amongst the potatoes and sprinkle with salt.
Add the bay leaf then top with the remaining potatoes slices.
Pour over the boiling water almost to cover, sprinkle with salt to taste and dribble over any oil remaining in the bowl.
Place in the oven and bake until all the water is absorbed, 50- 60 minutes.
If the surface is well coated before then, cover loosely with aluminum foil to protect from darkening further.
Serve hot.

Equipment

Notes

Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible so they cook at the same rate. A mandoline works beautifully for this.

Do not be afraid of the garlic. As it cooks, it becomes soft, sweet, and much milder in flavor.

Use boiling water, not cold water, so the potatoes begin cooking right away and bake more evenly.

Choose a shallow baking dish rather than a deep one. This gives you more golden edges and helps the liquid absorb properly.

Keep an eye on the top toward the end of baking. If it browns too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil until the potatoes are completely tender.

Let the gratin rest for a few minutes before serving. This gives the potatoes time to settle and absorb any remaining moisture.

Nutrition

Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.