Ingredients
1½ cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ½ pounds potatoes
1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. In a saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat, heat the milk, cream, garlic, and thyme until it comes to a boil. Turn off the heat. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 4-5 grinds of pepper. Set aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/8 slice, place in a bowl of cold water.
4. When ready to cook drain the potatoes from the water, and pat dry very well. Place in a large bowl; toss the potatoes with 1teaspoon salt and 4-5 grinds of pepper.
5. Layer the potatoes into an 8x10 oven-proof baking dish over-lapping the slices as you go.
6. Pour the milk mixture on top pushing the potatoes so that they are submerge under the milk.
7. Bake in a 425° F oven for 45-55 minutes, until bubbly and brown.
8. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.
TIPS & TRICKS
• You can prepare the milk mixture & the potatoes ahead, but combine them just before cooking.
• If you want a starchy potato, I like to use Yukon gold potatoes but you can also use Idaho or Russet.
• Potatoes can be peeled and slice a day or 2 ahead, just keep covered in a container with water. Drain and dry well before using.
• Milk mixture can be infused the day ahead, just bring to room temperature or pop in the microwave for a few minutes before adding to the potatoes. The warmer the milk, the quicker the cooking process will be.
• Potatoes need to sit 10-15minutes before serving to allow the cream to set; otherwise they will have a soupy texture.
• They can be cooked earlier in the day and reheated in a 350° oven for 15-20 minutes then served directly after.