German Potato Gratin (Kartoffelgratin)

Creamy and cheesy potatoes from the oven, no one can resist that, right? So that’s precisely what you’ll get in every serving of Kartoffelgratin (German Potato Gratin).  No gloopy, droopy mess — just comfort in every bite!

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Just like me, I’m sure you have seen a lot of ways potato gratin is prepared.

Kartoffelgratin is the simplest (and tastiest) way I have seen so far.  It only uses enough cream to cook the potatoes — not too much that it bogs down and overwhelms the entire dish.

The thyme, simple seasoning, and cheese wraps everything up into a warm, delicious dish that you won’t be able to stop eating.

You can serve this potato gratin as a side dish, but to be honest, I always end up eating it as a main dish — at least two servings, though. 😀

IF YOU WANT MORE AUTHENTIC GERMAN RECIPES, THEN YOU WOULD LOVE THESE POSTS!

Ingredients

• Potatoes – while you can use any type of potatoes for making kartoffelgratin, the floury ones are the best type for preparing it.

• Lemon – you only need the peel (ONLY the yellow part) and, depending on the size of the lemon, not the entire peel.

• Butter – you only need a small amount for brushing the baking dish.

• Cream – I use heavy cream (also known as ‘double cream’ in some areas) for this kartoffelgratin recipe.

• Garlic – one clove and keep it whole.

• Cheese – I use Emmental for this recipe.

• Thyme – two to three short sprigs will be enough.

• Seasoning – salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Preparation

Start preparing your kartoffelgratin by heating the oven to 200°C (375°F).

Combine cream, lemon peel, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a small sauce (photo 1).

Set pan over medium heat and bring to a boil; then set aside for at least ten minutes.

Slice your potatoes thinly, about the 8th of an inch (photo 2).

Butter your baking dish generously.

Arrange the thinly sliced potatoes on the baking dish (photo 3).

Remove the thyme, lemon peel, and garlic from the cream (photo 4).

Strain the cream.

Pour the cream into the arrange potatoes (photo 5).

Top your kartoffelgratin with grated cheese (photo 6).

Place dish in the middle of the oven for forty to forty-five minutes or until the top has turned golden.

Set aside for at least fifteen minutes to cool.

Slice and serve your kartoffelgratin!

Helpful tips

• Make sure you taste the cream while waiting for it to boil.  Adjust the seasoning if you feel it’s not balanced enough.  Remember that this is the only seasoning you’ll have for your potatoes other than the cheese on top.

• If you can slice the potatoes thinly with a sharp kitchen knife, then please do so.  A slicer is not necessary for preparing German potato gratin.  

• Do not arrange the potatoes up to the top of the baking dish.  Leave enough space because the cream and the cheese will be bubbling on the sides while baking.

• If you are going to increase this recipe, bear in mind that you also must adjust the cooking time, especially if the layer of potatoes is thicker — you need to bake it for at least an hour.

• Do not hesitate to cover the top with aluminum foil if you think it’s getting too dark too soon.

Recipe variation

• Light cream.  You can use half milk and half cream if you want a lighter cream instead.

• Dried herbs. If you only have dried thyme, you can also use that as an alternative; a quarter of a teaspoon should suffice.

• Other cheese. Gruyere is an excellent alternative to Emmental — essentially, any type of Alpine cheese will be great for this kartoffelgratin recipe.

FAQs

It looks absolutely delicious, right?  Try making kartoffelgratin one of these nights, and let me know how it goes!