Scalloped Potatoes

Recipe by Katherine Deumling, Cook With What You Have. Paired with La Randonnée Wine Sauvignon Blanc and Irvine & Roberts Chardonnay as part of our November 2020 home-cooking recipe pairing.

If you want to veer from the classic mashed potatoes and enjoy another classic potato dish, this is it.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 lb firm fleshed potatoes like Yukon Gold, scrubbed and thinly sliced into rounds (blade on box grater works well) or substitute in some celery root, turnip or kohlrabi (see Variations). I never bother peeling the potatoes.

• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, aged Asiago, sharp cheddar, emmental, gruyere, . . .

• 1 1/2 -2 teaspoons salt (I prefer the larger amount but tend to like things well seasoned)

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 teaspoons thyme or about 5 sprigs

• About 2 – 2 1/2 cups liquid: all whole milk, part milk, part cream, part half & half, part veg or chicken stock, but be sure it’s at least 1/2 milk or half & half, not just stock

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Put the potatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix the salt, pepper and herbs together. Sprinkle this over the potatoes and toss well.

3. Spread mixture in a 9 x 13 or similarly sized baking dish, pat down a bit with a spatula. Pour liquid over potato mixture. The liquid should come about 3/4 way up the potatoes.

4. Sprinkle the top with the cheese and bake until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork about 50-70 minutes. If the top is browning quickly cover with foil. Cooking time will depend on how thinly you sliced your potatoes.

5. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

VARIATIONS

Add lots of finely chopped herbs like parsley or chives or a little oregano or marjoram

Add diced bacon

Add minced garlic, finely chopped greens or sweet peppers

Use half potatoes and half celery root for a lovely variation.

You can easily scale this up or down. Just be sure to add liquid to about 3/4 up the side of the potatoes/vegetables