Recipe: Gratin Dauphinois

1- Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) for a regular bake, or 90°C (194°F) for a low-temperature bake.

2- Choose yellow-fleshed potatoes (such as Dutch potatoes), peel and finely slice them, then wash and dry them thoroughly with a towel.

3- Rub the inside of an ovenproof dish with a garlic clove.

4- Arrange a layer of sliced potatoes in the dish, season with salt, pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. Cover with cream and repeat the process until the dish is filled.

5- Bake for 1 hour at 150°C (300°F), then for an additional 30 minutes at 200°C (400°F) to brown the top. If it browns too quickly, cover it with parchment paper. For low-temperature baking (90°C/194°F), bake for 5 hours, and 10 minutes before the end, switch to the broil setting to add some color.

Never add eggs, as they can affect the creaminess and softness of the gratin dauphinois. If you have some extra time, here's a tip: once it's cooked, turn off the oven and leave the gratin inside for an additional hour or even overnight. This allows the potatoes to absorb any remaining liquid.

If you add various types of cheese, it becomes a gratin savoyard. Traditionally, only heavy cream was used, but for easier digestion, you can opt for lighter cream or half-and-half.

Taste this gratin dauphinois, and you'll feel like you've never had one quite like it.