Description
This is my husband’s favorite dish, and he considers it a special occasion every time I make it. The creamy cheese sauce and the tender potatoes in this classic French dish combine to make a deliciously addictive experience. It’s a great side dish with a roast pork loin or beef tenderloin. Add a green salad and French bread, and you have found the magic path to a man’s heart. To avoid lumps in your sauce, add the milk just a little at a time as you stir the flour and butter. Experiment with different cheeses for variety.
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 onion, sliced into rings
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1-quart casserole dish.
- Layer 1/2 of the potatoes in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish; season with salt and pepper. Layer onion slices over top
- then top with with remaining potatoes. Season again with salt and pepper.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and salt and cook
- whisking constantly until raw flour flavor has cooked off
- about 1 minute. Gradually add milk
- about 1/4 cup at a time
- whisking well after each addition to incorporate; the gradual addition and whisking of milk will help avoid lumps in your sauce.
- Cook
- whisking constantly
- until the mixture has thickened
- 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cheese all at once; continue stirring until melted
- 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes
- and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender and sauce is bubbly
- about 1 1/2 hours.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs
Servings: 4