Pommes Anna Recipes

Steps:

• Heat large knob of butter with a healthy drizzle of olive oil over medium low heat until butter melts and just starts to foam. Shut off heat under pan.
• Using a sharp and stable Japanese mandolin - or the real French metal one if you're lucky enough to have one - slice the potatoes into very thin but not paper-thin slices.
• Arrange the slices tightly, careful shingling around the pan in concentric circles starting at the outer edge of the pan and working your way into the center. Season the first layer with a little salt. Repeat with each potato until you achieve three tight and gorgeous layers.
• Turn the heat back on under the pan at medium. Drizzle the potatoes with a generous pour of olive oil and dot a few more pats of butter around the pan of potatoes. Season with salt. As the pan starts to sizzle, you will see the fat bubbling up and spitting a bit. Put a lid on the pan and seal tightly for a minute or two, giving the potatoes a little steam bath, helping to soften and cook the flesh. Remove the lid and swirl the pan with a little muscle to see if the potatoes are binding together as their starch begins to heat up. If they slip loosely all around the pan, tuck the slices back into the tight circle using a heat-proof rubber spatula and allow to sizzle and cook longer uncovered. Bump up the flame a little if the cooking sounds and looks listless - you want to hear sizzle. When you start to smell the potatoes turning golden and crisp - like the smell of toast - swirl the pan again to confirm that the potato layers have formed a cake, and then flip the pommes Anna and cook on the other side also until golden and crispy. Slide onto serving plate or cutting board, season with salt, and cut into wedges.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices on a mandoline. Reserve in a bowl of water until ready to use. In a medium bowl, mix together the Gruyere, Parmesan and Pecorino and set aside.
• In a small pot, melt the butter with the rosemary, garlic and nutmeg. Mix 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture with the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and set aside.
• Grease the interior of a 10-inch saute pan or baking dish with some of the butter mixture.
• Drain the potatoes, then dry on towels.
• Arrange a single layer of potatoes in the pan in a circular motion, followed by some of the onions, then approximately 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture, then a sprinkle of the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to repeat in single layers with the remaining ingredients, for about 4 layers total. Drizzle with the heavy cream and top with the breadcrumb mixture.
• Bake until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are very tender, 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place a rack in the middle and set a rimmed baking sheet on top of it.
• Trim potatoes into cylinders, peeling any skin left after trimming. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice into 1/8-inch slices and blot dry with paper towels. You should have about 8 1/2 cups.
• In a heavy 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons clarified butter over medium heat. When hot, carefully place 1 potato slice in the middle, then quickly place more slices around it, overlapping them clockwise to make a ring. Place a second ring to surround the first, going counterclockwise. Continue to the edge of the pan, alternating the direction in which the potato rings overlap. Sprinkle with a generous 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with another 2 tablespoons butter.
• Create second layer of potatoes, just as you did the first. Dot a third of the garlic slices, if using, on top of this layer of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper; drizzle with butter.
• Continue layering potatoes, garlic, butter and salt until everything is used, making a dome of potatoes in the middle (they will sink as they cook). Occasionally shake skillet gently to ensure potatoes aren't sticking. When finished, there should be enough butter that it can be seen bubbling up the sides of the skillet.
• Butter the bottom of a 9-inch pan and one side of a piece of foil. Push the pan down firmly on top of the potatoes to press them. Remove pan, then cover potatoes with the foil, buttered side down. Cover the foil with a lid. Set skillet on the baking sheet in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven, uncover and remove foil, and again press potatoes down firmly with the 9-inch pan. (Rebutter bottom of pan, if necessary, before you press down.) Return to oven and bake uncovered, until potatoes are tender and the sides are dark brown when lifted away from skillet, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Once more, remove skillet from oven and press potatoes down firmly with pan. Tip the skillet away from you to drain off the excess butter into a bowl (this can be reused for cooking), using the lid to keep the potatoes in place. Run a thin spatula around edge and bottom of skillet to loosen any slices stuck to the pan. Carefully turn out the potatoes onto a serving platter.

Steps:

• Combine salt, pepper, and thyme in a bowl.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions until soft and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Move to a bowl.
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet; remove from heat.
• Arrange 1/3 of potato slices in the skillet in a slightly overlapping layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt mixture. Top with 1/2 of the onions and 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese. Repeat layers, ending with potatoes; sprinkle with remaining salt mixture.
• Cover and cook over medium-low heat, reducing heat to low if necessary, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, about 5 minutes. Run a spatula around edges to loosen; let cool, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Invert potatoes carefully onto a serving dish.

Steps:

• Slice potatoes in 1/8-inch thick rounds and soak in ice water for at least 30 minutes. Drain slices and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine butter and garlic.
• In a deep 10-inch greased pie plate or casserole, arrange 1/3 of the potato slices in slightly overlapping fashion, beginning with the outside edges and continuing the circle design to center of dish.
• Layer 1/3 of onion slices, broken into rings, on top of the potatoes, then 1/3 of butter mixture, salt, pepper, paprika and cheese. Repeat this process 2 more times, ending with cheese on top.
• Bake, covered at 400 degrees for 1 hour. If cheese is not brown on top, place under broiler for 4-5 minutes. Cut in wedges to serve.

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and, using a food processor fitted with the slicing blade or a mandoline, slice them very thin, transferring them as they are sliced to a large bowl of cold water. Drain the slices and pat them dry between paper towels. Generously brush the bottom and side of a 9-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably non-stick, with some of the butter and in the skillet arrange the slices, overlapping them slightly, in layers, brushing each layer with some of the remaining butter and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Cover the layered potato slices with a buttered round foil, tamp down the assembled potato cake firmly, and bake it in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake the potato cake for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until the slices are tender and golden. Invert the potato cake onto a cutting board and cut it into 8 wedges.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Using a food processor with a slicing blade or a sharp knife, slice potatoes as thinly as possible, 1/4 inch thick or thinner. (Do not place sliced potatoes in water; the starch is needed to bind the layers.)
• Brush bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Starting in center of pan, arrange potato slices, slightly overlapping, in circular pattern, covering surface. Brush with another 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; season well with salt and pepper. Repeat for two more layers.
• Place over high heat until butter in pan sizzles, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer to oven; bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Run a small spatula around edges of potatoes; slide large spatula underneath potatoes to loosen. Carefully invert onto a plate, and cut into wedges.