I have often prepared this recipe when I found a piece of salty cheese and a few potatoes in the fridge. It's the kind of quick meal for cold days, uncomplicated but quite filling. I usually make the dish in the evening, and reheat the leftovers the next day for lunch.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: baked dish, main course
Ingredients
500 g potatoes
300 g salty sheep cheese or mature cheese
200 ml milk
200 ml liquid cream
50 g butter
salt
pepper
nutmeg
(optional, for topping: 2 beaten eggs with a little cream)
(other optional spices: thyme, rosemary)
Preparation steps
1. Peel the potatoes, wash them well, and slice them thinly. Don’t soak them too long in water, so they don’t lose the starch that binds the mixture.
2. Grate the cheese using a large grater. You can use any salty cheese or mature cheese you have on hand.
3. Grease a baking dish with butter all over, including the edges.
4. Place the first layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom of the dish, ensuring an even, slightly overlapping layer.
5. Sprinkle a layer of grated cheese on top. Add a little salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg (don’t overdo the nutmeg, it’s quite intense).
6. Pour a little milk and some liquid cream over this layer.
7. Continue alternating layers of potatoes and cheese, plus spices, milk, and cream, until you finish the ingredients. The top layer should be cheese.
8. If you want, you can beat two eggs with cream and pour them on top at the end, before baking. You can skip this step without any issues.
9. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven at 180°C for 60 minutes.
10. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and let the dish bake for another 30 minutes, so the cheese browns nicely on top.
11. Take it out of the oven when it has a golden crust and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It's simple to prepare and doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients. I like that it can be made with any cheese I have on hand and that it can be easily customized with spices or herbs, depending on my mood. The dish reheats well, so it’s perfect for the next day.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you have new potatoes, don’t peel them too aggressively; the thin skin becomes nice in the oven. The cheese should be as dry as possible, so the dish doesn’t turn out too watery. When pouring the milk and cream, don’t add it all at once; add gradually, between layers. If the dish is small, check after 50 minutes to avoid burning on top.
Substitutions
Sheep cheese can be replaced with grated cheese or even goat cheese if you want a more intense flavor. Liquid cream can be cooking cream; the fat percentage doesn’t matter. If you don’t have butter, you can grease the dish with oil, although the crust will be different.
Variations
You can add thinly sliced onions or leeks between the layers for more flavor. For spices, thyme goes well with potatoes, while rosemary gives a more rustic note. If you use beaten eggs with cream on top, you will have a denser crust, closer to a potato pudding.
Serving ideas
They can be served plain as a main dish or as a side with roasted meat. They are also good cold, sliced for a packed meal.
Frequently asked questions
1. Do the potatoes need to be boiled beforehand?
No, the potatoes are placed raw, sliced thinly, directly in the dish. They cook in the oven layered with cheese and the liquid from the dish.
2. What type of cheese should I use?
Salty sheep cheese is recommended, but mature cheese or any cheese that melts well works just as well. It’s important that it has a strong flavor.
3. Can I omit the liquid cream?
Yes, you can use only milk if you don’t have cream, but the texture will be less creamy.
4. What happens if I cut the potatoes too thick?
If the slices are too thick, they will remain hard after baking. Cut them as thin as possible so they cook through well.
5. Are eggs necessary?
Eggs are optional, just for the crust on top. Without them, the texture remains closer to gratin.
Nutritional values
Estimated values for one serving (out of 4):
Calories: approximately 420 kcal
Protein: 15-18 g
Carbohydrates: 35-40 g
Fats: 25-28 g
Values vary depending on the type of cheese and cream used. The dish is hearty, with a good supply of protein and carbohydrates.
Storage and reheating
The dish keeps well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 2 days. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave; in the oven, it gets a nice crust again, while in the microwave, it becomes softer. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture of the potatoes suffers.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Baking time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: baked dish, main course
Ingredients
500 g potatoes
300 g salty sheep cheese or mature cheese
200 ml milk
200 ml liquid cream
50 g butter
salt
pepper
nutmeg
(optional, for topping: 2 beaten eggs with a little cream)
(other optional spices: thyme, rosemary)
Preparation steps
1. Peel the potatoes, wash them well, and slice them thinly. Don’t soak them too long in water, so they don’t lose the starch that binds the mixture.
2. Grate the cheese using a large grater. You can use any salty cheese or mature cheese you have on hand.
3. Grease a baking dish with butter all over, including the edges.
4. Place the first layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom of the dish, ensuring an even, slightly overlapping layer.
5. Sprinkle a layer of grated cheese on top. Add a little salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg (don’t overdo the nutmeg, it’s quite intense).
6. Pour a little milk and some liquid cream over this layer.
7. Continue alternating layers of potatoes and cheese, plus spices, milk, and cream, until you finish the ingredients. The top layer should be cheese.
8. If you want, you can beat two eggs with cream and pour them on top at the end, before baking. You can skip this step without any issues.
9. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place it in the oven at 180°C for 60 minutes.
10. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and let the dish bake for another 30 minutes, so the cheese browns nicely on top.
11. Take it out of the oven when it has a golden crust and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It's simple to prepare and doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients. I like that it can be made with any cheese I have on hand and that it can be easily customized with spices or herbs, depending on my mood. The dish reheats well, so it’s perfect for the next day.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you have new potatoes, don’t peel them too aggressively; the thin skin becomes nice in the oven. The cheese should be as dry as possible, so the dish doesn’t turn out too watery. When pouring the milk and cream, don’t add it all at once; add gradually, between layers. If the dish is small, check after 50 minutes to avoid burning on top.
Substitutions
Sheep cheese can be replaced with grated cheese or even goat cheese if you want a more intense flavor. Liquid cream can be cooking cream; the fat percentage doesn’t matter. If you don’t have butter, you can grease the dish with oil, although the crust will be different.
Variations
You can add thinly sliced onions or leeks between the layers for more flavor. For spices, thyme goes well with potatoes, while rosemary gives a more rustic note. If you use beaten eggs with cream on top, you will have a denser crust, closer to a potato pudding.
Serving ideas
They can be served plain as a main dish or as a side with roasted meat. They are also good cold, sliced for a packed meal.
Frequently asked questions
1. Do the potatoes need to be boiled beforehand?
No, the potatoes are placed raw, sliced thinly, directly in the dish. They cook in the oven layered with cheese and the liquid from the dish.
2. What type of cheese should I use?
Salty sheep cheese is recommended, but mature cheese or any cheese that melts well works just as well. It’s important that it has a strong flavor.
3. Can I omit the liquid cream?
Yes, you can use only milk if you don’t have cream, but the texture will be less creamy.
4. What happens if I cut the potatoes too thick?
If the slices are too thick, they will remain hard after baking. Cut them as thin as possible so they cook through well.
5. Are eggs necessary?
Eggs are optional, just for the crust on top. Without them, the texture remains closer to gratin.
Nutritional values
Estimated values for one serving (out of 4):
Calories: approximately 420 kcal
Protein: 15-18 g
Carbohydrates: 35-40 g
Fats: 25-28 g
Values vary depending on the type of cheese and cream used. The dish is hearty, with a good supply of protein and carbohydrates.
Storage and reheating
The dish keeps well in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to 2 days. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave; in the oven, it gets a nice crust again, while in the microwave, it becomes softer. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture of the potatoes suffers.