Gratin dauphinois is a famous traditional French dish from the Dauphiné region (Southeast of France). This gratin contains raw potatoes, cream and milk, baked in a dish rubbed with garlic. Some recipes add grated cheese to it, since gratins usually include cheese. However, the authentic gratin dauphinois does not include any cheese. Today, I am sharing an authentic recipe for the gratin dauphinois. Enjoy!
Recipe
The recipe I am using is from a local of the Dauphiné region, who claims he got the recipe from his mother, who got it from his grandmother…etc. You can find the recipe in French here.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 100 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 4 pounds raw potatoes (2kg)
- 1 bulb fresh garlic
- 1 stick butter
- 3 cups low fat milk (75cl)
- 1.5 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (40cl)
- salt (as needed)
- pepper (as needed)
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Butter a baking dish and rub it with garlic. Cut the potatoes in thin slices and arrange in one layer at the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Add little chunks of butter everywhere as well as little bits of garlic. (Tip: you can use a mandoline or a food processor to cut the potatoes).
- Repeat by adding other layers of potatoes, salt, pepper, butter and garlic until you get to about 3/4 of the dish. At that point, add the milk. The milk should reach the bottom part of the top layer, you should be able to see it, but it should not cover everything.
- Bake in oven for 50 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven and add the cream. Put it back in the oven, and bake again for about 35 minutes. It is ready when the top layer of potatoes is brown and the milk is gone. (check with a knife to see if there is still milk in the dish). If it is not quite ready yet, bake some more in 10 minute increments to check if it is ready. Enjoy!
Baking the gratin dauphinois for a long time at low temperature makes for the best gratin. This recipe calls for a high oven temperature, so feel free to choose a lower oven temperature to bake your gratin. It will take longer, but it will be delicious. Just check on it regularly, to see if it is ready (potatoes are brown, and milk is gone).
Enjoy as a full meal or with red meat on the side!
Bon Appétit!
French Mom