Incredibly good potatoes! Personally, I go for the cheese too. Kind of like “Gilding the lily”.

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ lbs potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold
• 5c milk
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed, and finely chopped (2 teaspoons)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 c heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 3750°.
2. Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick, by hand, with a vegetable slicer, or with the slicing blade of a food processor. Do not wash the slices.
3. Combine the potato slices, milk, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring gently to separate the slices and prevent the mixture from scorching. It will thicken as it reaches a boil.
4. Pour the potato mixture into a 12-cup gratin dish or 9×13 pan, and pour the cream on top.
5. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
6. Let the potatoes rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Serves: 10 – 12

Source: Jacques Pepin, September 11, 2011 – Essential Pepin

“This dish is my version of a classic from my youth. My mother always makes her gratin exclusively with milk and tops the potatoes with grated Gruyère cheese before baking. Sometimes I use grated cheese in this dish, but other times I don’t, depending on my mood.”

Comment: It is important not to rinse or soak the potatoes after slicing them. Rinsing would remove most of the starch, which is needed to thicken the mixture as it comes to a boil on top of the stove.