Scalloped Potatoes au Gratin
Aren't scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin really the same thing? Betty Crocker seems confused.
There seems to be a little confusion as to the difference between what is commonly referred to as Scalloped Potatoes versus Potatoes au Gratin.
Betty Crocker Really Isn’t Telling the Truth
Betty Crocker packages their instant versions of these recipes both ways, with essentially the same ingredients. One contains paprika while the other does not. Other than that, their ingredients are the same. They claim their Potatoes au Gratin version is creamier in texture than the Scalloped Potatoes version. This is all marketing gimmickry.
In real culinary terms, "Scalloped" refers to the shape of the potato, while "au Gratin" is a French cooking term that means “in the style of gratin.” The term "gratin" comes from the verb "gratter", which means "to scrape" or "to scrape off." This refers to the crispy, browned crust that forms on top of the dish during baking, topped with cheese and bread crumbs. So, the truth is Betty Crocker is making two versions of Scalloped Potatoes, a semblance of the classic dish that originated in France in the 18th Century. There is no au Gratin about either, unless you put cheese and bread crumbs on top of one of them and bake them to a crispy, golden state.
I elected to avoid any such culinary misinformation by creating a Scalloped Potatoes dish with a crusty topping made from bread crumbs and cheese in the real tradition of au Gratin.
An Indispensable Kitchen Tool
I used a baking dish that was 7” x 8” x 2”, which allowed for four layers of potatoes, cream, butter and cheese. A convenient kitchen appliance for this recipe is something called a mandoline, which allows you to quickly slice potatoes into thin wafers (or scallops). It's not altogether mandatory, but I wouldn't make this dish without it.
You can use either Yukon Gold potatoes, which I prefer, or Russet potatoes, but if you use the latter, be sure to soak the slices in cold water, then rinse and dry them before assembling the dish. Russet potatoes have a lot of starch in them and without the rinse, they tend to become gloppy and lose their scallop shapes.
Scalloped Potatoes au Gratin
Ingredients
- 8-10 Yukon Gold or Russet Baking Potatoes, peeled
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 8 thick pats of butter, plus four more tbsp
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 1- 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1- 1/2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded
- 12 slices Provolone Cheese (not smoked)
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs (like, Progresso)
- 1/16 tsp fine sea salt sprinkled on each layer
- 5-6 grinds freshly cracked black pepper on each layer
- non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
Instructions
- Using a mandolin slicer or just a sharp chef's kitchen knife, slice potatoes wafer thin.
- Pre-heat oven to 325°F and then spray a 7" x 11" x2" baking dish liberally with the non-stick cooking spray.
- Layer the scalloped potatoes end to end in a single layer all along the bottom of the dish.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of the minced garlic all about the layer of potatoes. Cut 2 pats of butter pat into dollops, and put them evenly spaced about the layer of potatoes.
- Add half the cheddar cheese, then drizzle two tablespoons of heavy cream all about the potatoes and cheese.
- Add salt and pepper, then top off with three slices of provolone, torn such that you get more or less even coverage over the layer.
- Repeat again, using the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese instead of the cheddar, then do two more layers the same way for a total of four layers overall.
- Melt the four additional tablespoons of butter and mix with the seasoned bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Once the butter is absorbed, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the casserole.
- Bake 1 hour until golden brown on top. Test the potatoes with a fork. The potatoes are done when there is no resistance. Allow the casserole to sit about 10 minutes before cutting into squares and dishing up.
Notes
- If using Russet potatoes, soak the slices in cold water; then rinse and dry them. This is to remove some of their starch, otherwise, the dish will become gloppy and the potatoes will lose their scallop shapes.
- If cooking in altitudes above 5,000 feet, set the oven temperature to 350°F and add 10 minutes to the baking time.
