Cheesy Pumpkin Potato Gratin

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter (plus more for coating the dish)
1 tablespoon (from 2 cloves) minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more as needed)
2/3 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (2 to 3 potatoes) russet potatoes (peeled and sliced 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick)
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded Gouda
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (for garnish)

Prep Time30mins
Cook Time80mins
Servings6

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute more.

While continuing to whisk, slowly add the milk in a steady stream. Whisk in salt. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk in pumpkin purée, sugar, and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Layer 1/3 of the potato slices in the baking dish, slightly overlapping. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread 1/3 of the pumpkin sauce over the potatoes, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup each of Cheddar and Gouda. Continuing layering the remaining potatoes, seasoning, sauce, and cheese, for a total of 3 layers.☞ TESTER TIP: Divvy the potatoes into three equal piles so you know how many potatoes you’ll need to fit into each layer.

Coat a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the dish. Bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 70 to 90 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and turn the oven to broil.

Uncover the dish, return to the oven, and broil until the top is mottled brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme and serve.