Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin

This dish was part of our Thanksgiving feast as a second potato dish to compliment my son’s mashed potatoes. (He almost exclusively eats potatoes on Thanksgiving Day!)

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by J. Kenji López-Alt, from his book titled “The Food Lab.” I substituted unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes for the peeled russet potatoes and added extra garlic and cheese. 😉 I actually added the cheese at the wrong time (oops!) and was thankfully still quite pleased with the results.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Time: about 2 hours

• 3+ ounces finely grated Gruyère or Comté cheese
• 2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 to 5 pounds unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick on a mandoline
• 2 T unsalted butter

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Combine cheeses in a large bowl.
3. Transfer 1/3 of the cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.
4. Add cream, garlic, and thyme to cheese mixture.
5. Season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Add potato slices and toss with your hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.
7. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish dish with butter.
8. Pick up a handful of potatoes, organizing them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically.
9. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working until all of the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be very tightly packed. (If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add to casserole.)
10. Pour the excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. (You may not need all of the excess!)
11. Cover the dish tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
12. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes longer.
13. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to the oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes.
14. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve.