Scalloped Potato Gratin

For 4 servings, this recipe works just fine if you cut the quantities in half and use a quarter sheet pan.

Substituting 2 cans of evaporated milk for the heavy cream works out well.

I love your idea for the vegetable combination! I think the issue is with the yukon golds and other vegetables, which are not starchy. Russets produce lots of starch which help thicken up the whole thing, whereas Yukon golds don't (which makes for better mashed potatoes and potato salads). I figured this out the hard way when I used them for a gratin Dauphinois that, despite a very long time in the oven, absorbed almost none of the milk - a problem I've never had using russets.

I've had a hankering for scalloped potatoes and have been reading recipes. All of them call for Gruyere cheese. But at $20/lb, or more, I think I'll stick with mac and cheese. Would cheddar work in a recipe like this?

I made this yesterday, and it was very good. Maximizing crispy surface area is a win. A few things based on others questions and comments-- >Yes, you can cut the number of eggs. >No, you do not need 1/4 cup of butter to grease the sheet pan. I love butter, but you could cut in half. >Heavy cream is delightful, but you could probably sub half-n-half to cut fat. >My potatoes had v thin skins, so peeling not needed. >More sage, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and I added some horseradish for a kick.

Making this in a sheet pan pretty much guarantees that the potatoes will come out done in the allotted time. Skip the eggs, they do nothing for this recipe. I prefer to use creme fraiche instead of heavy cream.

This was delicious and worth a bit of fuss. I used 1 tbls of ground sage + a pinch of ground nutmeg because I didn’t have fresh - plus my family is not crazy about nutmeg. I sautéed garlic (added 1 clove) and shallots in a bit of butter before adding the cream based on a comment here. We added some additional cheese to the top - what we had on hand - shaved Parmesan and shredded Mex blend (don’t judge - Covid). I don’t like baking on aluminum foil - parchment paper worked well. Family loved it!

NYT Notes: Substituting 2 cans of evaporated milk for the heavy cream works out well.

If you are calorie obsessed, try, if you can, to burn some, then you can enjoy the consumption of same. Life is a negotiated affair. Muy delicioso!

Loved the baked cheesiness and the perfectly cut portions however this lacked some flavor. Would add more garlic and maybe some sauteed onions or shallots to the mix next time. I will make this again with some adds.

Fabulous. Takes at least an hour longer to prepare than indicated. Loved the consistency. I did not alter the recipe, but I always wonder why others do? I am not a chef but love to act like one.

Thanks Melissa, for this crowd-pleaser. It certainly pleased the crowd of 1 (my wife) in my house. I made it as a mixed gratin, with yukon golds, yellow beets, celery root and onion, plus a little preserved lemon in the custard. Of course I have a nit to pick with you. Using an eggy custard instead of the usual milk/cream/butter gratin medium seems to hope for a bread pudding effect. Instead, there are curds of egg throughout, which makes for an odd texture: no creaminess. What am I missing?

I will never make au gratin another way again. Lots of crispy topping, cut into beautiful squares. I froze a few leftover squares and they were amazing reheated. Served with eggs, chicken, chops, anything. Absolutely recommend this recipe! I did use light cream. Yummy!

Hi Sam, Love your recipes and now - with a national lockdown of ALL UK citizens on the horizon, was the time to cheer ourselves up with a really generous and sybaritic dish. And this gratin totally did cheer us up. So thanks!

Hi. I love your modifications with the beets and celery root. If you had curds when it was done I wonder if that would be from adding the hot cream to the eggs too quickly - and/or not stirring lightly/consistently enough while adding - so the cream/eggs were overly hot to begin with? That is the fussiest part of the recipe IMO. I didn’t have curds. My consistency was not like bread pudding. I found that it kept the potatoes from being runny. It felt creamy without being wet if that makes sense.