Recipe for Cheesy Potato Gratin

Yield:

Time:

850g (about 8-10) Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled (about 2-3in diameter; 3in length)
105g (about 7½T) Unsalted Butter
170ml (about 5½ fl oz) Whole Milk
15g (5) Roasted Garlic Cloves
3g (½t) Kosher Salt
Pinch Nutmeg
226g (2 cups) Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

Wash and peel the potatoes. Using a mandoline slicer, slice the potatoes about 1-1½mm thick. Set aside.
On medium flame, heat the butter, milk, and garlic in a large pot until the butter has melted and it begins to simmer. Lower the flame and toss in the sliced potatoes, salt, and nutmeg.
With a spatula, carefully stir the potatoes for 10 minutes, until some starch has leeched out into the milk. Be careful not to cook the potatoes. Turn off the flame.
While the potatoes are cooling, grate the cheese.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Take a third of the potatoes and arrange each slice so that they slightly overlap, like scalloped potatoes. Take about 50g (about ½-cup) of the cheese and sprinkle it on top. Repeat the layering with another third of the potatoes and 50g of cheese. Finish with the last third of the potatoes. Reserve the rest of the cheese.
Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Unwrap the pan, cover the top of the potatoes with the remaining cheese, and bake, unwrapped, for 20 more minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Remove the pan, turn off the oven, and cover the pan with foil. Place books on top of the pan to compress the cheesy potatoes. Keep it compressed for about one hour.
Gently remove the foil and broil the potatoes until the cheese begins to brown. Once browned, remove from the broiler, slice, and serve as a pairing to your favorite protein dish!

I like using Yukon Golds for their waxy, and less starchy, texture.
Thinly sliced potatoes help in the ease of arranging the slices, preventing large air pockets between layers.
It may seem like a small amount of milk and butter for such a large amount of potatoes, but it is indeed enough for this recipe.
Be conscious of the starchy liquid that coats the potatoes; keep each slice well coated. Any remaining starch and milk should be added to the pan.
I’ve placed a couple layers of paper towels between the books and the foil, just in case, to protect the books. I’ve also placed some paper towels underneath the pan for any liquid that pools and spills out during the compressing.
Make sure your foil is large enough to cover the surface area of the cheesy potato gratin and extend a little beyond the pan.

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