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Potato: Pommes Anna




Source of Recipe


Cook's Illustrated


Recipe Introduction


The secrets of foolproof pommes Anna, the classic and elegant French potato cake, are to skip the clarified butter and use a nonstick skillet.

Problem: Traditional Pommes Anna takes an inordinately long time to compose, and it is hard to remove cleanly from the pan.

Goal: A foolproof, impressive Pommes Anna for home cooks.

Solution: Forget the clarified butter, and use a nonstick ovenproof skillet for a simplified classic dish.




List of Ingredients




Do not slice the potatoes until you are ready to start assembling. Remember to start timing when you begin arranging the potatoes in the skillet—no matter how quickly you arrange them, they will need 30 minutes on the stovetop to brown properly.

3 pounds russet, Yukon Gold, or white potatoes,
peeled and sliced 1/16- to 1/8-inch thick
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable or peanut oil, plus additional for
greasing cookie sheet
Salt and ground black pepper


Recipe



1. Toss potato slices with melted butter in large bowl until potatoes are evenly coated. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Pour oil into 10-inch heavy-bottomed ovenproof nonstick skillet; swirl to coat pan bottom and set skillet over medium-low heat. Begin timing, and arrange potato slices in skillet, starting in center (see illustrations 1 and 2, below, "Constructing and Unmolding Pommes Anna") to form first layer. Sprinkle evenly with scant 1/4 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper to taste. Arrange second layer of potatoes, working in opposite direction of first layer (see illustration 3, below, "Constructing and Unmolding Pommes Anna"); sprinkle evenly with scant 1/4 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper. Repeat, layering potatoes in opposite directions and sprinkling with salt and pepper, until no slices remain (broken or uneven slices can be pieced together to form a single slice; potatoes will mound in center of skillet); continue to cook over medium-low heat until 30 minutes elapse from the time you began arranging potatoes in skillet.

3. Using bottom of 9-inch cake pan, press potatoes down firmly to compact. Cover skillet and place in oven. Bake until potatoes begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until potatoes are tender when paring knife is inserted in center and edge of potatoes near skillet is browned, about 10 minutes longer. Meanwhile, line rimless cookie sheet or back of baking sheet with foil and coat very lightly with oil. Drain off excess fat from potatoes by pressing potatoes into skillet with bottom of cake pan while tilting skillet to pour off fat (see illustration 4, below, "Constructing and Unmolding Pommes Anna").

4. Set foil-lined cookie sheet on top of skillet. With hands protected by oven mitts or pot-holders, hold cookie sheet in place with one hand and carefully invert skillet and cookie sheet together (see illustration 5, below, "Constructing and Unmolding Pommes Anna"). Remove skillet. Carefully slide potatoes onto platter (see illustration 6, below, "Constructing and Unmolding Pommes Anna"); cut into wedges and serve immediately.

SERVES 8

SEE ILLUSTRATIONS AT:
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/article.asp?did=4135&bdc=49620&enotes=yes