Uniformly thin stroke
Garnish slices of the same thickness at the same time. A vegetable planer is more reliable than differently thick slices with the knife.
French Recipe
Gratin dauphinois
For a creamy Gratin dauphinois, floury potatoes are thinly sliced and briefly pre-cooked in seasoned milk cream. In the oven, starch and cream combine the layers to form a soft potato gratin.
Total time
1 hr 45 min
Calories
410 kcal
Servings
6 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Why this recipe works
French potato gratin without cheese
At Gratin dauphinois, the potato starch takes over the binding. Therefore, the slices are not washed after cutting. Garlic, nutmeg and a quiet baking time are sufficient to make the surface golden brown and the interior soft and creamy. The Gratin fits as a side dish with stews, but can also be served with salad alone.
French Recipes
Potatoes
Vegetables
Recipe
Gratin dauphinois
Gratin dauphinois traditionally consists of thin potato slices, milk, cream, garlic and nutmeg – without eggs and cheese.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
-
1
Preparing Form
Preheat the oven to 160 °C top/bottom heat. Rub a flat casserole with the cut areas of the clove of garlic and then butter thoroughly.
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2
Potatoes
Peel potatoes and cut them into 2 to 3 mm thin slices with a planer. Do not water or rinse the slices because their thickness binds the liquid.
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3
Fry in milk and cream
Heat milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a wide saucepan. Add potato slices and cook for 8 to 10 minutes just below the boiling point.
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4
Coating Gratin
Add the hot potatoes and liquid evenly into the form. Slices that rise out of the liquid, slightly press on. Gently spread the surface.
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5
Bake slowly
Bake the gratin for 65 to 75 minutes until the potatoes are completely soft and the surface is golden brown. If it becomes dark too early, cover the shape loosely.
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6
Leave to Set
Let the finished Gratin rest for 10 minutes. During this time, the liquid binds and the portions can be lifted more cleanly from the shape.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Gratin dauphinois
No cheese needed
In the traditional Gratin dauphinois potato starch, cream and slow baking ensure binding and tanning. Cheese would make it another Gratin variant.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
A small thyme branch can pull in the milk-sah mixture. Remove before layering, so that only the aroma remains.
Replace 100 ml cream with the same amount of milk. Gratin remains creamy, but tastes less luxuriant and binds slightly looser.
Nutrition per serving
410kcal
43.0 gCarbohydrates
8.0 gProtein
23.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Gratin dauphinois
Floating or predominantly hard-waxy potatoes give off sufficient starch and become soft. Purely hard-boiled varieties remain stronger in slices and bind less.
The starch on the cut surfaces combines milk and cream to form a creamy sauce. Rinse would remove an important part of this natural bond.
No cheese or eggs are used in the traditional Dauphiné variant. A cheese crust tastes good, but is a modern potato gratin variant.
The gratin can be completely baked and later covered at 160 °C. Raw layered potatoes should not stand for long, because they can discolor.
Often the slices were too thick, the potatoes were too boiled or the baking time was too short. After baking, the gratin binds additionally during a ten minute rest period.
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