This is one of my all-time favorite potato dishes, based on the pommes Sarladaises we would make when I worked at The Ledbury in London. It was a once-a-week lunch special, cooked entirely on the stove. Every Sunday I would make five huge pans and spend the next hour constantly rotating them and freaking out about whether they would turn out nicely or be overcolored. We made a wood-fired version when I worked at Franklin, and people would often tell me it was the highlight of their meal.–Analiese Gregory
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POTATO GALETTE AND POMMES ANNA?
Potato galettes (or “cakes”) is the name for an entire category of sides made by layering potatoes into a pan and then baking it in the oven until the exterior is crisply browned and the interior is tender carb loveliness. They can be flavored any way you want—rosemary, thyme, cheese, garlic. Pommes Anna are a specific type of galette made with just potatoes, salt, and butter. Here, the author also includes instructions for flipping and crisping your galette, because honestly, why wouldn’t you?!
Potato Galette
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) clarified butter (ghee)
- 2 pounds waxy potatoes (about 7 medium), such as red or fingerling
- 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line a round 8- or 9-inch (20- or 23-cm) baking pan or cast-iron skillet with parchment paper cut to fit.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes and use a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice them about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, butter, and salt, and use your hands to toss them until all the slices are completely coated with butter.
- Starting in the center of the pan, place the potato in concentric circles, with each new slice overlapping the previous slice to cover about 2/3 of it. This will eventually be the top of the galette that everyone sees, so maybe be a touch more particular about this layer.
- Continue to layer potatoes in overlapping fashion until the pan is full and you’ve used all the potatoes. Place another piece of parchment paper on top, followed by a small skillet, ovenproof plate or even the lid of a pot to provide a bit of weight for pressing down the galette.
- Bake the galette until a skewer or the tip of a paring knife inserted in the center meets no resistance, 60 to 90 minutes.
- To finish the galette, you can brown it up on the stovetop or beneath the broiler. If using the stove method, set the pan over medium heat, and cook, checking the color periodically, until browned on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, carefully flip the galette from the pan onto a plate and remove the parchment. If using the broiler method, set the oven to broil. Carefully flip the galette from the pan onto a plate. Remove the parchment paper and place it back in the pan. Broil until browned, 3 to 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
How Should I Serve This Potato Galette?
This stunning dish can be served as a side or as a vegetarian entrée. While lovely on its own, feel free to glam it up a bit with one of the following toppings or let us know what you used in a comment below: A sprinkle of fresh thymeGarlic yogurt
Crème fraiche or sour cream
Caviar
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Salsa verde
Chutney or gravy
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
The best description for this dish would have to be luxurious. This buttery little black dress of side dishes will elevate any accompanying dish it’s served with. This simple galette of thinly sliced potatoes roasted in clarified butter and flaky sea salt produced a meltingly creamy interior with a crisp potato chip-like crust.
I served this galette with veal marsala and green beans and my husband told me all evening how much he enjoyed dinner! I served the leftover galette for breakfast the next day with eggs and bacon and it was just as terrific as the night before.
It takes a little time to prepare, especially if you’re making your own clarified butter, but it’s so worth the effort. I used a 1 1/2-pound bag of baby red potatoes for this dish, so I really didn’t have the defined layers as noted in the recipe since my thinly sliced potato rounds were too small to overlap into any type of concentric circle pattern. But the finished tart still looked pretty, crisp, and golden when I flipped it out of the skillet. I also cut back on the amount of flaky sea salt to 2 teaspoons, since I used fewer potatoes.
I used the stove method for coloring the base after removing the galette from the oven and in less than 20 minutes it got that beautiful golden and crisp finish.
This potato dish may be on the lavishly rich side with all that butter, but it will definitely be showing up around here again.
I felt I was transported to the French countryside while preparing this dish. I loved the simple, rustic yet sophisticated French vibe. It was the perfect cold winter evening comfort dish.
Although I served it in a cast-iron skillet as a side with a roasted chicken, it could easily be a vegetarian main course. It was easy to put together and came out of the oven silky-smooth inside and perfectly browned outside. The only seasoning called for was salt and I was a little apprehensive as I thought a sprinkle of thyme would be great but I resisted the urge and I’m glad I did as the potatoes were perfectly complemented by the clarified butter and salt allowing the earthiness of the potatoes to shine through.
Great dish. I used the leftovers the next morning with eggs. Mmmmmmmm.
Delicious potato galette! This was so buttery and yummy. A little extra prep work paid off in a tasty final product. What a pretty presentation of potatoes as well. Not to mention the versatility of ways to serve this (plain, with ketchup, creme fraiche, caviar, Parmesan, the topping ideas are endless). If you’re looking for an elegant side, this is the recipe for you.
I used yellow potatoes, 2 large and 4 medium. I sliced them with a mandoline that might have been less thick than 1/8-inch thickness. My other choice would have been 1/4-inch layers and I might try that next time. I had more than 12 layers, but I admit my layering was not the best. I think I need a little practice to make it more uniform but it was still pretty and made a good presentation regardless. Also my potatoes didn’t brown up as well as the photo but I was worried they would burn in spots if I put it under the broiler.
I served this with creme fraiche and black lumpfish roe as well as with ketchup. Both were excellent. Another idea on this would be to sprinkle fresh thyme leaves throughout the layers or toss them with the butter. I think that would make it even more savory and amazing.
What a gorgeous creation! Layer upon layer of delicate potato laced with clarified butter, damn near brings a tear to your eye. And the final step of flipping and browning is the pièce de resistance.
This dish was easy to execute and finished impressively. I found there to be a bit too much butter (I know, I’m a monster). I’m also a salt fiend, so I would recommend maybe 3 teaspoons of salt.
The flipping out wasn’t easy. I achieved success by grabbing a partner, each taking two corners of parchment, and lifting the galette out of the cast iron skillet and onto the counter (it held its shape!). Then I placed a dinner plate, upside down, on top of the galette. I tightly wrapped the parchment up and over the plate, held tightly, said a prayer, and flipped. Success! Then I slid the galette (using my partner and 2 spatulas to help) from the plate and back into the cast iron skillet to broil the now top. Perhaps there is an easier way?
I served the potato galette with turkey Salisbury steaks with mushroom gravy and a green salad. The juxtaposition of this fancy shmancy galette and reinvented cafeteria food was comical…but gratifying. And because I love leftovers but despise eating them the same way twice, I blitzed these potatoes with some milk the next day and turned them into some creamy mashed potatoes. Carême is rolling over in his grave, I know, I’m sorry.
Can’t wait to try this. But for the stovetop browning, you have parchment in the bottom of the pan. Don’t you need to take that out before browning? Thanks!
Juanita, it should still brown nicely with the parchment in place. It will allow you to remove the galette easily from the pan.