This recipe takes a while to cook, but the wait is well worth it. If you are tired of slicing your potatoes, try investing in a Mandolin; just watch your fingers!
Serves: Eight to 10
Time: One hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups (720ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4kgs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3mm thick slices
- 1 1/2 cups shredded tasty cheese (about 170g)
Method
Heat oven to 210°C.
Using a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over a medium-high heat for about one minute, until the butter stops foaming. Sauté the onion until it softens and begins to brown, about four minutes. Add in the garlic, sautéing for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the cream, milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and potatoes. Stir the mixture and bring to a simmer. Cover and adjust the heat to maintain a soft simmer, cooking until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes. Be sure to gently stir the potatoes occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Discard the thyme and bay leaves from the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to a three-litre baking dish and sprinkle over with cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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