Scalloped potatoes with cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 lb 4oz (1kg) potatoes
• 18 fl oz (½ litre) of milk
• one egg
• a knob of butter
• 3½oz (100g) of grated Gruyere cheese
• one clove of garlic
• a pinch of powdered nutmeg
• salt and pepper

Preparation Time:

15 min

Cooking Time:

45 min

Method:

Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into thin slices. Grease the stoneware or glass gratin dish with butter. Crush the garlic and rub it inside the dish. Arrange a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish and cover with some of the grated cheese.
Pour half of the milk over the potatoes and add another layer of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place in a hot oven (200°C, 400°F, gas 6) and cook for 30 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, beat a whole egg with the nutmeg and the rest of the milk in a large glass bowl.
When the potatoes have cooked for 30 minutes, pour this mixture over the potatoes, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and put the dish back in the oven for 15 minutes.
You can tell that your gratin is cooked by piercing the potatoes with a knife: if the potatoes are very soft and gold brown, the dish is ready to eat.
Chef’s Tip: drying the potatoes after washing removes the starch and prevents them from sticking to each other.