Old-Fashioned Potato Gratin

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

4 russet potatoes
1 garlic clove (crushed and peeled)
1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons freshly grated Comté cheese ((or substitute Gruyère or Asiago))
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Prep Time25mins
Cook Time80mins
Servings6

Instructions

Adjust the oven rack to the top third position and preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C).

Peel the potatoes and slice them crosswise about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Place the potato slices in a bowl of cold water so they don't discolor.

Meanwhile, firmly rub the garlic clove all over the bottom and sides of a 10-inch gratin dish to coat it with the garlic juices. Allow to dry for a few minutes, then rub the bottom and sides of the dish with the butter.

Drain the potatoes and pat them dry. Arrange a layer of potatoes in a slightly overlapping fashion, like a splayed deck of cards, in the bottom of the gratin dish. Season with a good dash of salt and pepper and a little of each of the two cheeses. Continue layering the potatoes and cheese in this fashion, seasoning each layer and finishing with the cheese (you should have at least 3 layers). Drizzle the cream along the sides of the dish, so as not to displace the cheese.

Place the potato gratin, uncovered, in the oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until the cream has been absorbed and the top is crisp and golden.

Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.