posted by scooby 08-09-100 12:05 PM
Swiss Potato Gratin
2 pounds red-skinned boiling potatoes
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Nutmeg to taste
1 egg
1 cup heavy cream
Sweet butter for greasing baking dish
1/4 lb. Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash potatoes well and trim away any discolored spots or eyes. (You may peel the potatoes, if you like.) Slice thin and drop into a pot of cold, heavily salted water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes for 1 minute, drain, and rinse with cold water. Drain again and pat dry.
Combine the ricotta and parsley and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg. In a small bowl, beat the egg briefly and add enough heavy cream to make 1 cup of liquid. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Lightly butter a shallow, oval gratin dish measuring 9-inch by 12-inch. Arrange a layer of slightly overlapping potato slices in the dish. Dot with about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture; sprinkle with 1/3 of the Gruyère. Repeat, using all of the ingredients and ending with a potato layer.
Gently pour the egg and cream mixture into the dish, lifting potato slices with a fork, if necessary, to allow the cream to spread evenly among them. Bake on the center rack of a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the cheese is browned and bubbling. Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.