← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg medium all-purpose potatoes (such as Maris Piper or Yukon Gold), peeled
• 125 g Butter, melted
• 3 sprigs Thyme (optional)
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F). Slice the potatoes 2 mm thick with a mandoline or very sharp knife; do not rinse them, as the starch helps the layers stick.
2. Pour 2 tbsp of the butter into a 23 cm ovenproof frying pan or cake tin. Arrange the best slices in overlapping circles over the base, then keep layering, brushing each layer with butter and seasoning with salt, pepper and thyme leaves.
3. Press down firmly with your hand, then set the pan over medium heat for 5 min, until you hear the butter sizzle, to start the golden crust.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 min, then uncover, press down with a spatula and bake for 30–35 min more, until a knife slides through easily and the edges are deep golden.
5. Rest for 5 min, run a knife around the edge and turn out onto a board, crust-side up. Cut into wedges.

Tips

• Use a mandoline guard: the slices need to be thin and even, but fingers do not.
• Clarified butter (or a spoon of duck fat) gives an even crisper crust without burning.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

RecipeTin Eats BBC Good Food Serious Eats