Having an Irish heritage means that potatoes are a part of family memories growing up. The potatoes were always there in my Grandmothers home but not something anyone raved over or even mentioned. They were boiled or mashed, end of story. My mother took the next step in potato lore by sometimes serving scalloped potatoes, which was an exciting contrast to the boiled or mashed varieties typically served.
Representing the Third Generation of the family I have put a little distance in my potato recipes from those simple preparation techniques brought to America from County Cork at the turn of the last century.
This recipe has an Italian flare that makes the simple potato into a special accompaniment to your dinner. Give Patate Al Forna a try. Your family and guests will love it.
Scalloped Potatoes Baked in Milk
Ingredients:
2 ½ lb potatoes (Yukon Gold preferred)
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream blended with 3 tbsp Milk
½ tsp salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
Preparation
Step 1. Boil potatoes till half cooked. About 20- 30 minutes
Step 2. Drain , cool completely, peel and cut into ¼ inch slices
Step 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Step 4. Butter a baking dish that will hold the potatoes (1 tbsp butter)
Step 5. Spread a layer of potatoes in the dish-dot with butter – some salt-spread some thinned sour cream and then sprinkle a small amount of Parmesan on top
Step 6. Repeat the layering process until all potatoes are used
Step 7. Dot the top with remaining butter and Parmesan Pour milk over the potatoes
Step 8. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes on the top rack of the oven
Step 9. Remove foil and continue baking until golden brown on top ( about 5 minutes)
Step 10. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
After thoughts:
Make sure the foil is tightly wrapped. Evenly distribute the butter, salt, Parmesan and sour cream on the layers
I originally got this recipe from The Classic Italian Cookbook by Julia Della Croce. Julia seems to be a popular name among the classy teachers who helped spur our interest in elevating the quality of meals we were serving our guests as well as our daily family fare. Julia Della Croce’s book can be found at Amazon The Classic Italian Cookbook (Classic Cookbooks)
If you never seem to have the correct pot or pan for the dish you are preparing here is a reasonable answer to your problem. Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless-Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set
