There’s a relaxed generosity to serving up gratin dauphinoise as a centrepiece. It’s also a snip to pull together and can be prepped well ahead. This version takes inspiration from the peppery warmth of the Roman pasta dish cacio e pepe, and it really is worth toasting the peppercorns to maximise their flavour and bring a hint of spice to a classic dauphinoise. Serve it with a crunchy bitter leaf and herb salad with a fresh, lemony, anchovy-boosted dressing.
Cacio e pepe potato gratin
This is what happens when gratin dauphinoise and cacio e pepe (literally, ‘“cheese and pepper”) have a baby: an ultra-comforting crowdpleaser of a dinner. Cacio e pepe is traditionally made with pecorino romano, but this makes no attempt at authenticity, so if you have only parmesan, that works, too.
Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Serves 4-6
Butter, for greasing, plus an extra knob for the top
1½ tsp black peppercorns
150ml whole milk
150ml double cream
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
850g maris piper or king edward potatoes
75g pecorino or parmesan, or a mix of both, grated
Heat the oven to 185C (165C fan)/360F/gas 4½, and butter a shallow, ovenproof gratin dish. Toast the peppercorns in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then crush well in a mortar. Combine the milk, cream, garlic and a big pinch of the crushed pepper in a jug or bowl.
Peel and slice the potatoes very thinly (use a mandoline, if possible), dry them in a clean tea towel, then arrange them in a thin layer over the bottom of the greased dish.
Season with a bit of sea salt (don’t go mad – the cheese is already quite salty), a good pinch of the pepper, top with a scattering of the cheese, then pour over enough of the cream mix to coat. Repeat layering the potatoes in this way, seasoning them really well with the pepper and a little salt before adding the cheese and cream. I like to press down on each layer with the flats of my hands, to compress them and make sure the potatoes get nicely covered with the cream – you should end up with three or four layers. Finish with a layer of the cheese, scatter over a bit more pepper, then bake on a high shelf for an hour and 15 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling and the potatoes are tender. Leave to settle for at least 10 minutes before you dig in.
Chicory, parsley and anchovy salad
This has a really punchy dressing. I’ve included a few basil leaves, because I like their fragrance, but they’re not essential.
Prep 5 min
Serves 4-6 as a side
8 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, peeled
A few basil leaves (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp red-wine vinegar
4-5 tbsp olive oil
A generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, washed and dried, stalks finely chopped, leaves left whole
2 heads of chicory (I like pink ones here), leaves separated, core halved, then washed and dried
Roughly chop the anchovy fillets and garlic on a chopping board, then transfer to a mortar, add the basil, if using, and pound to a paste. Work in the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and finely chopped parsley stalks, and whisk to emulsify.
In a large bowl, combine the chicory and parsley leaves, then dress lightly, tossing to coat every leaf with a little dressing. Serve alongside the potato gratin.
