I got a lot of potatoes at the farmer's market this weekend b/c I wanted to use the skins to make stock. Then I remembered I need to eat the potatoes, too... so, I decided to try the Joy of Cooking's Potatoes Au Gratin. I tweaked it a little to suit my tastes and my fridge. Interestingly, according to Joy, the si ne qua non of Gratin is not the cheese--it is the breaded topping. This version is delicious for a chilly night. I used a mix of buttermilk and skim milk, which worked really nicely (especially with the feta!), but any sort of milk or cream would work. I think using all skim would be a mistake, though--mine ended up fairly watery with only half.
Slice ~2 lbs potatoes and 1 onion very thin
Place in large saucepan with 1.5c milk and 1.5c buttermilk
Season with white pepper, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg
Gently boil for 5-10 minutes over med heat
Meanwhile, slice a garlic clove in half and rub it on the inside of a 1.5-2qt casserole dish (I have no idea what this does, but Joy said to do it). Mince and add to potatoes
Rub ~1/2T softened butter over this same dish
When the potatoes have softened somewhat and some of the liquid has evaporated, add the potato mixture to the casserole dish. Smooth with a spoon or spatula.
Cover the top with crumbled feta cheese, bread crumbs, and a little paprika (I used mom's Spanish pimenton--delicious!!)
Cook at 350 for ~45 minutes, or until the top browns a little and the smell gets too good to bear. Poke with a knife to make sure the potatoes are nice and soft.
Enjoy!
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