Mom's scalloped potatoes, a milk-based potato gratin
Food Wishes · ♥ 20K likes · 533.2K views · 8 min video
Read about potatoes in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- 3 whole large russet potatoes
Peel and rinse the russet potatoes. Slice a quarter-inch piece off between the flat and narrow sides so the potato sits flat, then cut even slices at about a 45 degree angle, at least a quarter inch thick.
Sort the slices: the first cut and small end pieces in one pile, the big even slices in another.
The good, the bad and the ugly piles
- butter
Very generously butter a two-quart casserole dish and lay in the end pieces as the first layer.
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- cayenne
- white sharp cheddar
Season the layer with a very generous sprinkling of salt, a much lighter amount of black pepper and a little cayenne, then scatter over a small amount of cheddar.
Build a second layer from the good slices, seasoned and cheesed the same way; then a third layer, overlapping on top if needed, seasoned but not yet cheesed.
- whole milk
Slowly pour in whole milk until it comes almost to the top of the potatoes, then finish with the rest of the cheese.
Milk instead of cream
Set on a foil-lined sheet pan to catch drips and diffuse the heat; bake in the center of a 400 degree oven about an hour and 15 minutes, until bubbling and browned and the potatoes test tender with a knife.