New Potato Casserole

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the hardest to improve on. Thinly sliced potatoes layered with onion rings, seasoned with salt and pepper, dotted generously with butter, then sealed tight with foil and baked until tender and golden. That’s it. No cream sauce, no cheese, no filler.

The foil seal is everything. It traps steam so the potatoes essentially braise in butter and their own moisture, going silky and tender in the center while the edges pick up a light golden color where they touch the buttered casserole. Choose a wide, shallow dish so most of the slices sit in a single layer for maximum caramelization.

A dollop of sour cream mixed with chopped parsley and dill goes on top at serving time. The cool, tangy cream against the hot, buttery potatoes is the contrast that makes you go back for seconds.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the potatoes to an even ¼ inch thickness. A mandoline makes this fast and consistent
• Use a wide casserole dish, not a deep one. A single layer of potatoes browns better than stacked layers
• Seal the foil tightly. Any gaps let steam escape and the potatoes dry out instead of braising
• Check at the 1-hour mark. Depending on your potato variety and slice thickness, they may need up to 1 ½ hours

Variations

• Layer thin slices of garlic between the potatoes and onions for a more aromatic version
• Add grated Gruyère or cheddar between the layers for a gratin-style upgrade
• Use sweet potatoes or a mix of sweet and regular for a different flavor profile