Ultimate gratin dauphinois

Our classic potato gratin recipe is all easier than it looks. This attractive creamy potato side dish uses just some ingredients but is oozing with flavor.

• Prep: 20 mins – 30 mins
• Cook: 1 hour
• Easy
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

Step: 1 Heat up the oven to 160C/Gas 4/fan oven 140C. Brush the butter all over the surface of a gratin dish, about 18x28cm/7x11in. Skin and slice the potatoes to a width of 3mm/1⁄8in. Place the slices on a clean tea towel and blot dry. While you prepare the rest of the ingredients keep them covered with a tea towel.

Step: 2 Spill the milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the garlic, thyme and shallot (if using). Slowly heat the milk and, when it is about to reach boiling point and you see bubbles appearing around the edge of the pan, shift it from the heat. Drain the liquid into a large jug, dust in the nutmeg, and keep warm.

Step: 3 Sheet half the potato slices in the dish, slightly overlaying the slices and dusting with a little salt and freshly ground pepper between each layer. You don’t have to be too neat with the lower layers, but set some of your best slices aside for later, so the top looks delicious.

Step: 4 Spill half the hot milk and cream over the potatoes, after that, finish off layering the rest of the potatoes (arranging them a bit more carefully this time so the top looks good). Pour the rest of the hot milk over and cream. Grate the cheese over the top and bake for about an hour, until it becomes golden and tender. Let the dish stand for about 5 minutes, and sprinkle a few fresh thyme leaves, and serve.