Gratin Savoyard — Alpine Potato and Cheese Gratin

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Gratin savoyard is the mountain cousin of gratin dauphinois — sliced potatoes layered with Beaufort cheese and moistened with stock rather than cream, baked until the potatoes are tender and the cheese has formed a thick, bubbling, golden-brown crust. Where dauphinois is rich and creamy (cream only, no cheese), the savoyard is savoury and alpine (cheese and stock, no cream), reflecting the Savoie's abundance of magnificent cow's milk cheeses and the mountain cook's preference for hearty, sustaining dishes. Peel and slice 1kg of waxy potatoes to 3mm on a mandoline. Rub a gratin dish vigorously with garlic and butter generously. Layer the potatoes with 200g of grated or thinly sliced Beaufort (or Comté or Abondance), seasoning each layer with salt, pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. The cheese should be distributed evenly throughout, not concentrated on top. Pour hot chicken or beef stock over the layers until it comes three-quarters of the way up the potatoes — the stock provides moisture and savoury depth while the cheese provides richness and the gratinée crust. Dot the surface with butter. Bake at 180°C for 60-70 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender (a knife slides through without resistance), the stock has been fully absorbed, and the top is a thick, bubbling, deeply golden-brown crust of melted cheese. Rest 10 minutes before serving. The gratin savoyard should have distinct potato layers visible when cut, each one separated by a thin, savoury layer of melted cheese, with the stock having been absorbed entirely to produce a moist but not wet interior. It is the ultimate mountain food — sustaining, deeply savoury, and warming on the coldest Alpine evening.

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