It’s not about the potatoes—it’s what you do to the potatoes. In this recipe, precook them until they’re tender, then dispatch clarified butter (which is less likely to burn), heat, and time to help them become their best selves.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. If using unsalted butter, heat in a small saucepan over medium, skimming off white foam that rises to the surface, until butter is melted and milk solids have settled to the bottom of the pan. Spoon clear (clarified) butter into a small bowl. Discard milk solids.
Step 2
Heat 1 Tbsp. clarified butter (or ghee) in a medium skillet, preferably ovenproof nonstick or cast iron (you will need to cover it; use a baking sheet if you don’t have a lid), over medium-high and add half of potatoes, tossing to separate slices and coat in butter. Cook, tossing often, until some of the slices are browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with another 1 Tbsp. butter and remaining potatoes; transfer to same bowl. Let cool slightly.
Step 3
Arrange some potato slices in an overlapping pattern in a single layer in bottom of skillet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with some of the remaining clarified butter. Repeat with remaining potatoes, building a layer at a time, seasoning with salt and pepper and drizzling with clarified butter as you go. When you are finished layering the potatoes, pour any remaining clarified butter over top and cover skillet.
Step 4
Cook potatoes over low heat until barely tender, 10–15 minutes. Uncover skillet and transfer to oven. Bake until potatoes are very tender in the middle (if you have a cake tester, that’s a good way to check, or use the tip of a paring knife) and browned and crisp around the edges, 25–30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Step 5
Slide a rubber spatula underneath potato cake to loosen, then invert onto a platter. Season with more salt.
Do Ahead
Step 6
Potato cake can be made 3 hours ahead. Leave in skillet at room temperature. Reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes before serving.
Leave a Review
Reviews (4)
Back to TopFirst of all I would like to thank CATHTR from Moscow for the info re spreading the butter and adding summer savoury. I also like to thank HEOSBORN re making the cake thinner. Ghee is not clarified butter. Ghee is made by straining brown butter through double layer of cheese-cloth.
mmvixon
Victoria BC.
11/23/2019
This looks more like a recipe for Potatoes Anna. Scalloped potatoes usually have milk added. I have made Potatoes Anna from a recipe in the Joy of Cooking, which also contains a recipe for scalloped potatoes.
llpens3601
Los Angeles by way of New Jersey
3/2/2017
This is very much like the infamous dish call Potatoes Anna. I've never needed to precook the potatoes, though I do soak the slices in very cold water to soak out some of the starch and to ensure the delectable crispiness. Pat the slices dry, layer some in the pan, spread soft butter lightly but cover the layer. Soft butter, unlike melted butter, doesn't immediately sink to the bottom of the pan. Salt, pepper and SUMMER SAVORY! Savory elevates the dish to stellar. Repeat and repeat. Bake. Slice into wedges. Get out of the way because people will do anything for this!
cathtr
Moscow, ID
3/2/2017
We really like this recipe. It came out in the latest issue of Bon Apetit and we've already made it three times! We use homemade ghee - cooked longer than clarified butter to make this closer to or fully Full 30 compliant. We reduced the amount of potatoes to about half that listed in the recipe the first time we made it. This made the potatoes throughout crispy - way good! I think, when making the full amount in the future, we'll do it in two batches.
heosborne
12/31/2016