Ingredients
Equipment
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Method
- Heat the oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish, about 11x7 or 8x8 inches.
- Scrub the potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick with a mandoline or a sharp knife. Keep the slices in a bowl without rinsing them; the starch helps thicken the sauce.
- Blend the cottage cheese with 1/4 cup of the milk until completely smooth. Set it aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mince the garlic, add it, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute more.
- Slowly whisk in the rest of the milk, then add the thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer, whisking often, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the blended cottage cheese and the Parmesan until smooth.
- Layer a third of the potato slices in the dish, overlapping them, and pour a third of the sauce over. Repeat two more times. Press the top layer down so the slices are mostly covered by sauce.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, scatter the shredded Gruyere over the top, and bake 25 to 35 minutes more, until the top is golden and a knife slides easily through the center.
- Let the potatoes rest for 15 minutes before serving so the sauce sets.
Nutrition
Notes
Thin, even slices are the whole technique: at 1/8 inch they cook through in the time the top takes to brown. To make ahead, bake fully, cool, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days, then reheat covered at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes. Sharp cheddar can replace the Gruyere. Nutrition is calculated per serving from the listed ingredients and may vary with brands and substitutions.