Potato Bake

I’ve speeded things up a little since then :0)

Potato bakes are simple to do, very tasty and make a nice accompaniment to roast meat. You don’t have to get bogged down by calling them ‘Lyonnaise’ or 'Savoyard' either. Keep it simple.

To serve four people, slice 4-6 potatoes, depending on size, and one medium sized onion. The best tool for doing this is a mandolin. If you don’t know what one of these is, I've got a picture of one here. They come even cheaper on eBay, by the way.

Put the slices in enough cold salted water to cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water to cool and remove excess starch.

Layer in a suitable pie dish, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper and freshly ground nutmeg – go easy on the nutmeg.

Add 75 mls (third of a cup) of single cream, and grate some parmesan cheese or pecorino over the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C, 350°F, for 25-30 minutes. Test with the point of a knife to ensure the potato is cooked.

The great thing about this dish is that you can vary it as much as you like. For example, you could use white wine, or stock, or even a mixture of the two in place of the cream.

You could also lose the nutmeg and use herbs in each layer – or garlic – or anything else that takes your fancy.