I love potatoes. Mash them, fry them, baked them… or make a little more fancy potato dishes like Scalloped or Au Gratin. But as fancy as they might seem, they are not difficult to make. What’s the difference? Scalloped potatoes consist of thinly sliced potatoes layered in a casserole dish and baked with heavy cream topped with cheese. Potatoes au gratin, on the other hand, has grated cheese sprinkled between the layers, resulting in a cheesy, more decadent dish. I love both!
Easy Scalloped Potatoes
¼ cup butter
1 large onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup flour
2 cups half and half or whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups Gruyere cheese, freshly grated
3 pounds white potatoes sliced about ⅛" thick
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
To make the sauce, melt butter, onion and garlic over medium low heat. Cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Combine milk and broth. Add a small amount at a time whisking to thicken. The mixture will become very thick, continue adding a little bit of liquid at a time whisking until smooth.
Once all of the liquid has been added, bring to a boil over medium heat while continuing to whisk. Stir in salt and pepper and let boil 1 minute.
Next add your freshly grated cheese to the sauce and stir until it melts.
Assembly
Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour enough sauce on the bottom to just cover the dish.
Place ⅓ of the potatoes in the bottom and season with salt and pepper. Pour ⅓ of the cream sauce sauce over top.
Repeat layers ending with cream sauce. Cover with non stick foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and potatoes are tender. Broil for 3-4 minutes to obtain a golden top. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
