Description
Luxurious Hasselback Potato Gratin brings French culinary elegance to comfort food, combining crispy potato edges with creamy cheese layers. Rich cream, sharp gruyère, and delicate herb seasonings create a sensational side dish you cannot resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 to 3 pounds organic russet potatoes (peeled and sliced into 0.5-inch thickness)
- 2 cups half & half or heavy cream
- 1 cup finely grated Gruyère, Comté cheese, or any high-quality Swiss cheese
- 0.5 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (roughly chopped; alternatively, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 medium cloves of garlic (minced)
Seasoning and Finishing:
- Coarse salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 400°F (204°C) and generously coat a 2-quart (1.9-liter) casserole dish with softened butter to prevent sticking.
- Create a rich base by blending shredded cheeses, reserving approximately one-third for final topping, with half & half cream, finely chopped garlic, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper in a spacious mixing bowl.
- Carefully fold sliced potatoes into the creamy cheese mixture, ensuring each potato slice receives an even, luxurious coating.
- Meticulously arrange potato stacks vertically in the prepared casserole dish, starting from one edge and progressively filling toward the center, creating an elegant layered presentation.
- Gently pour any remaining half & half cream over the arranged potatoes, then sprinkle additional salt and freshly ground black pepper across the surface for enhanced flavor.
- Securely cover the dish with aluminum foil, then place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes to initiate the cooking process.
- Remove foil carefully, then distribute the reserved cheese evenly across the potato surface.
- Return the uncovered dish to the oven and continue baking for 40 minutes, or until potatoes develop a golden-brown crust and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- After removing from the oven, let the gratin rest for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to settle and ensuring a perfect serving temperature.
Notes
- Carefully prep potatoes by slicing them thinly without cutting all the way through, creating an accordion-like design for maximum crispy edges.
- Cheese selection matters tremendously, mixing gruyère with sharp cheddar ensures complex, rich flavor profiles that elevate this classic side dish.
- Half & half creates luxurious creaminess between potato layers, transforming a simple recipe into a decadent comfort food experience.
- Aluminum foil technique prevents early browning while allowing consistent moisture distribution during initial baking stages.
- Resting period after baking helps potatoes absorb remaining liquid, guaranteeing a silky, tender texture throughout each delectable slice.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 80mg