Potatoes Anna

adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

•     2 3/4 pounds russet potatoes (ab. 6) peeled                     
•     6 tablespoons unsalt butter melted      
•     2 tbsp olive oil                        
•     Salt and pepper   
•     Sprinkle of fresh herbs

Preheat oven to 425°. Using a mandoline, slice potatoes, 1/4 inch thick, or thinner. (Do not place potatoes in water at this point; the starch is needed to bind the layers.)

Brush bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate with 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter and olive oil. Starting in center of pan, arrange potato slices in a circular pattern, overlapping the edges. Evenly brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining potatoes and butter, creating 2 more layers. Finish with a final layer of butter, salt, and pepper. When arranging potatoes, be sure to fill in all the spaces. You may need to arrange potato layers "creatively" so there isn't a huge mound in the middle from the centers of the circles.

Place over medium-high heat until the edges of the potatoes begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. If you are not using a cast-iron skillet, this step is not necessary.

Place in oven, and bake until potatoes are fork tender, 45 to 55 minutes for the cast-iron skillet and 1 to 1 1/2 hours for the pie plate. Cover with tin foil for first 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Using a small spatula, separate potato edges from sides of pan. Shake pan and slide a spatula along bottom to loosen potatoes. Carefully invert onto a flat serving platter. Slice and serve.

MY NOTES: So simple and tasty. When I made it the first time it over-browned (see photo), so I edited the recipe a little and had much better results. Next time I should add herbs (rosemary, thyme) and maybe a sprinkle of cheese between layers.

MXF