Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Originally published as Creamy Scalloped Potatoes in Taste of Home October/November 1996, p16. Here's a rich, comforting side dish that bakes up golden brown. It's a wonderful recipe for the colder months. I often serve these potatoes with my Swiss Steak.
Originally published as Creamy Scalloped Potatoes in Taste of Home October/November 1996, p16. Here's a rich, comforting side dish that bakes up golden brown. It's a wonderful recipe for the colder months. I often serve these potatoes with my Swiss Steak.
- Carbohydrate 102.23574740233 g
- Cholesterol 191.303125013081 mg
- Fat 53.4850629296469 g
- Fiber 4.91807602685642 g
- Protein 45.5659845556715 g
- Saturated Fat 32.7949779758869 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (922g)
- Sodium 803.023847834004 mg
- Sugar 97.3176713754736 g
- Trans Fat 2.97810792503567 g
- Calories 1060 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter.
- Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth and bubbly.
- Gradually stir in milk.
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove from the heat.
- In a greased 1-qt. baking dish, layer half of the potatoes.
- Add the onion and half of the sauce.
- Top with remaining potatoes and sauce.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Operating on a strict budget requires relying on pantry staples like potatoes, flour, and milk to build satisfying side dishes without expensive components. Transforming these basic ingredients into a cohesive gratin depends entirely on managing starch release and dairy stability during baking. Starchy russet or Yukon Gold varieties slice cleanly and release enough surface starches to help bind the heavy white sauce as the dish cooks at 350 degrees.
- Cook the butter and flour roux over low heat for a full two minutes to eliminate raw starch taste before whisking in the cold milk.
- Slice the potatoes uniformly to a thickness of roughly one-eighth inch so they soften at an identical rate during the 40-minute covered bake time.
- Freeze baked portions within three months in airtight containers, though milk-based sauces can sometimes separate upon thawing.
- Restore frozen gratins by thawing them completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to reheating gently at 325 degrees until steaming.
- Avoid high heat during sauce reduction or baking, which causes the dairy proteins to curdle and turn grainy instead of velvety.
Proper slicing thickness guarantees that every layer cooks evenly underneath the foil cover. Careful temperature control yields a consistently smooth sauce that coats the starches without breaking.
