Scalloped Potato Flan features thinly sliced potatoes layered with garlic and Gruyère cheese, drenched in cream, then baked, overturned, and sliced for an elegant presentation that's perfect for special occasions and holiday dinners!
3poundsYukon gold potatoespeeled and very thinly sliced
8ouncesGruyère cheesegrated
3eggs
1 ½cupsheavy cream
1 ½teaspoonssalt OR sea salt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¼teaspoongrated nutmeg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Prepare an 8- by 8- by 2-inch baking dish by greasing it with butter and lining it with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat eggs. Whisk in cream, kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Lay the potatoes in overlapping rows until the bottom of the dish is completely covered. Sprinkle with a little bit of minced garlic and a handful of grated cheese. Repeat layers about halfway up the side of the dish. Pour half of the cream mixture over the potatoes, alternately lifting up the layers with a fork and then pressing down to ensure that the cream gets in between all of the layers. Repeat layering potatoes, garlic, and cheese until it's all used up and you reach the top of the dish. Pour the rest of the cream mixture over the potatoes, once again lifting and pressing on the potato layers to make sure that there are not dry spots.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 ½ hours. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown and potatoes in the center of the dish are tender when pierced with a small knife.
Remove the flan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before placing a platter over the top of the dish. Carefully overturn the flan onto the platter and slice into serving-sized portions. Serve warm.
Notes
I cut the parchment paper to the width of the dish and then lay it so that it covers the bottom and goes up two sides. I make sure that the other two unlined sides are generously greased with butter, and I run a knife along their edges after the potatoes come out of the oven and again before overturning the dish, just to make sure there's no sticking where the parchment paper is missing.
If you use more than 3 pounds of potatoes, all of the ingredients will not fit in an 8- by 8-inch dish. If you use a larger dish, you may have to adjust the cooking time accordingly if your layer of potatoes ends up being thicker or thinner than usual.
Garlic is a prominent flavor in this dish, so feel free to use less, if you prefer a milder garlic flavor.
This recipe has never overflowed for me, but it does go all the way to the top, so use a baking sheet under your dish in the oven if you're concerned about potential spills.
You may slice this flan into wedges or squares. If you want to make this dish ahead of time, individual portions may be reheated in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
***EDITED 4/12/14 to change Kosher salt to regular salt or sea salt (to reduce any confusion in trying to convert amounts) and to reduce overall amount of salt used (since everyone's tastes vary and you can always add more salt to the final dish but it's impossible to take it away).