Olive Oil Potato Gratin. (Joe Keller/America’s Test Kitchen via AP)

From The Asian Reporter, V28, #24 (December 17, 2018), page 12.

By America’s Test Kitchen

Potato gratin is a notoriously heavy side dish, laden with cream and gooey cheese. We wanted to shift the focus of this classic side dish to the potatoes.

We chose Yukon Gold potatoes for their rich flavor and moderate starch content, which helped them hold their shape when cooked. Tossing the potatoes with fruity, flavorful extra-virgin olive oil heightened the flavor of the potatoes but didn’t overpower them.

For a crisp, cheesy topping, we mixed more olive oil with panko bread crumbs and sprinkled the dish with sharp, salty Pecorino-Romano. For added depth, we added sautéed onions, fresh thyme, and garlic.

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Servings: 6-8

Start to finish: 2 hours

2 ounces Pecorino-Romano cheese, grated (1 cup)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

2 onions, halved and sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/8-inch thick, preferably with a mandoline

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400º Fahrenheit. Grease 13" x 9" baking dish. Combine Pecorino, three tablespoons oil, panko, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat two tablespoons oil in 12" skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and 1/2 teaspoon thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup broth and cook until nearly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about two minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Toss potatoes, remaining three tablespoons oil, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme together in a bowl. Arrange half of the potatoes in prepared dish, spread onion mixture in even layer over potatoes, and distribute remaining potatoes over onions. Pour remaining 3/4 cup broth over potatoes. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.

Remove foil, top gratin with reserved Pecorino mixture, and continue to bake until top is golden brown and potatoes are completely tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 313 calories (160 calories from fat); 18 g fat (5 g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 545 mg sodium; 30 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 11 g protein.