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Boulangere Potatoes with a Cheese Grater

Boulangère Potatoes


  • Author: caroline
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These Boulangere Potatoes are a true French classic. Soft and rich potatoes slowly baked in the oven and topped with crisply baked parmesan.

The default recipe serves 2.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 400g / 14oz potatoes, thinly sliced (see note 1, 2 & 3)
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems
  • 125ml vegetable stock
  • 40g parmesan cheese (see note 4 & 5)
  • 1 tsp unsalted butter

Equipment

For 2 portions (the default recipe) a baking dish around 1 liter / 1 quart works well. Check out this set of 4 baking dishes so you always have the right size on hand (the second to smallest is perfect for this recipe).


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and gently fry for around 4-5 minutes until softened. 
  3. Place a layer of sliced potatoes in the base of the baking dish, overlapping slightly so there aren’t any gaps. Layer some of the onions over the top followed by some of the thyme and garlic.
  4. Repeat the layering until all the potatoes and onions are used. Carefully pour the stock over the top and season with salt and pepper. Scatter over the parmesan. 
  5. Place a few blobs of the butter over the top of the cheese and then bake for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender and you have a crisp layer of cheese on top. 

Notes

  1. The best potatoes to use are all-purpose, which are starchy enough to give a soft result and thicken the sauce, but not so floury that they will fall apart. Desiree and Yukon Gold are good options. 
  2. You can also use a floury variety but the result will be more crumbly and soft. In this case, use a variety such as Maris Piper or Russet. 
  3. Ideally use a mandolin to slice the potatoes – around 3mm thick is a good guide. 
  4. Make sure to grate your own parmesan as the pre-grated stuff has additives to stop it clumping, which actually stops it from melting as well. 
  5. The use of cheese is not traditional in Boulangère potatoes, so you can skip the parmesan if you want. However it adds great flavour, and there is nothing better than golden and slightly crispened parmesan cheese on top!
  6. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Press a layer of clingfilm over the top of the potatoes before freezing to prevent freezer burn. 
  7. To reheat use the oven rather than the microwave, which will help the edges crisp up and give more of a freshly baked texture. 
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Side
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: French

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 314
  • Fat: 13g
  • Carbohydrates: 36g
  • Protein: 12g

Keywords: potatoes, side, French, vegetarian, bake, easy