Baked Potato & Bacon Gratin (Zapiekanka Ziemniaczana)
1 h 25 min · Medium
#bake#budget#comfort#polish
Thin-sliced potatoes bathed in cream, layered with crisp bacon and onion, and baked under a blanket of molten cheddar until the top turns deep gold and bubbling. The kind of dish that makes the whole house smell like Sunday dinner.
Ingredientsfor 4 portions
- 1000 g Potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
- 150 g Bacon, Raw, cut into small strips
- 100 g Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 200 ml Heavy Cream
- 200 ml Whole Milk
- 150 g Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 10 g Garlic, minced
- 20 g Butter, for greasing
- 2 g Ground Nutmeg
- 10 g Parsley, chopped, for garnish
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a baking dish with the butter.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly, about 2-3mm thick — a mandoline makes this fast and even.
- Finely dice the onion and garlic, and cut the bacon into small strips.
- Fry the bacon in a dry pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until crisp, then remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in the bacon fat for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Warm the heavy cream and milk together in a small saucepan over low heat until steaming but not boiling, then stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Layer half the sliced potatoes in the prepared dish, scatter over half the bacon and onion, then repeat with the remaining potatoes, bacon and onion.
- Pour the warm cream mixture evenly over the layers, pressing down gently so the liquid seeps through.
- Scatter the cheddar over the top and bake for 50-60 minutes until golden and bubbling and a knife slides easily through the potatoes.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then scatter with fresh parsley before serving.
