Pommes Anna

Day two of my 30 day recipe challenge brought more potatoes. This time a recipe I found from Gourmet for Pommes Anna, thinly sliced potatoes baked in a pan.

The trick with this is to have a sharp mandoline or slicer to get the potatoes thin.

Pommes Anna

1 1/2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Pre-heat oven to 425°F. Peel the potatoes and, using a food processor fitted with the slicing blade or a mandoline, slice them very thin, transferring them as they are sliced to a large bowl of cold water.

Drain the slices and pat them dry towels. Generously brush the bottom and side of a 9-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably non-stick, with some of the butter and in the skillet arrange the slices, overlapping them slightly, in layers, brushing each layer with some of the remaining butter and seasoning it with salt and pepper. The bottom layer will end up on the top, so arrange the first layer the neatest.

Cover the layered potato slices with a buttered round foil, press down the assembled potato cake firmly, and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan once.

Remove the foil and bake the potato cake for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until the slices are tender and golden.

Invert the potato cake to serve.

This turned out OK. The top was crispy and nice but the bottom needed more crispness. Next time I would cook it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the bottom (top when in the pan) more.