Potato Pave

 

This one-of-a-kind take on the standard scalloped potatoes. You will fall in love with it.

 

1 cup heavy cream

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds russet potatoes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter soft

4 TBS unsalted butter; cut into cubes

Canola oil

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 cloves garlic, skin-on, lightly crushed

Minced fresh chives

 

 

Heat the oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Clean the potatoes. One potato should be trimmed on all sides to form a rectangle shape. Place a mandoline over a bowl of cream and slice the potato lengthwise into extremely thin slices, beginning with the flat side. To preserve potato slices from browning, toss them in cream regularlymedium-high. Repeat with remaining potatoes.

Spoon half of the softened butter into a 10-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch-high baking pan. Line a 9-inch square baking sheet with parchment paper, allowing a 5-inch overhang on both sides. Brush the remaining melted butter onto the parchment paper and season with salt and pepper.

Cut slices to make an equal layer in the bottom of the pan; continue to make a second layer. Sprinkle with salt and top with a couple cubes of butter. Arrange potatoes, adding butter and pepper after every two levels, until the pan is full. Overlap the sides of the parchment paper over the potatoes. Cover the pan securely with aluminum foil and place it in the oven.

Cook for 1 hour and 50 minutes, or until potatoes are totally soft when poked with the point of a sharp knife. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Arrange a second loaf pan on top of the aluminum-wrapped potatoes. Allow potatoes to come to room temperature before adding weights.

 

 

 

Take off the weights and securely wrap the pan. Potatoes should be refrigerated for at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. To plate, use an offset spatula to remove the parchment paper from the pan. Gently remove the pave out of the pan or flip onto a cutting board using the parchment paper overhang. Trim the sides of the paving and cut it into 12 equal pieces; set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature. Heat a large skillet over medium - high and coat with canola oil. Whenever the oil is heated, add the potatoes, cut-side down, with the thyme and garlic. Cook, basting with oil until the first side is browned. Turn cautiously and brown on the opposite side.

Place the potatoes on a serving plate, golden side up.

 

Sprinkle with chives and a little bit of butter on each. Serve.