Best Smashed Potato Tomato Gratin Recipes

SMASHED POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Cut the potatoes into quarters and place in a large saucepan with the garlic cloves. Fill the pot with water and season generously with salt. Taste the water, it should taste salty. Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender. (A fork, not a knife should slide in and out easily.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• When the potatoes are tender, drain the water from them and return the potatoes and garlic to the pan. Add the milk and sour cream. Using a potato masher or big spoon, gently mash the potatoes. Stir in the Cheddar, then taste and season with salt, if needed. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Combine the panko, grated Parmesan and the cayenne in a small bowl. Sprinkle it over the top of the potato mixture and bake until hot all the way through and is crispy and brown on top, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped chives and serve.

PERFECT SMASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Put 1 3/4 pounds baby potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Add 2 bay leaves, 2 garlic cloves and a big pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, discarding the bay leaves and garlic. Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, transfer to a baking sheet and smash with a spatula or measuring cup. Drizzle with more olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil, turning, until crisp and golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

SMASHED-POTATO TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• In a 4-quart heavy kettle cover potatoes with salted cold water by 2 inches and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. While potatoes are simmering, in a small saucepan heat milk with 6 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until butter is melted. Remove pan from heat and keep mixture warm, covered. Pit olives and separately chop olives and scallions. In a colander drain potatoes and when just cool enough to handle, peel. Coarsely smash potatoes with a potato masher and gently fold in milk mixture, olives, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. and butter a 3-quart gratin dish (about 15 by 10 by 2 inches).
• Mince garlic and chop parsley. In a nonstick skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until golden. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool. Stir in parsley and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Spread potatoes in gratin dish and top with tomatoes, overlapping them to completely cover potatoes. Sprinkle crumb mixture over tomatoes and bake gratin in middle of oven until top is golden brown and tomatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Gratin may be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, before being chilled, covered. Reheat gratin, uncovered.

POTATO-TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a large saute pan or Dutch oven over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 3 tablespoons olive oil, and then add the onions, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook 6 minutes, stirring often, and then turn the heat down to medium. Add the butter, and cook 15 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon, until the onions start to caramelize. Turn the heat down to low and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are a deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
• Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Toss them with the cream, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
• Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange them on a plate and season with 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
• Place half the caramelized onions in an even layer in a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin or baking dish. Arrange one layer of alternating potatoes and tomatoes on top of the onion layer. Layer a couple of slices of cheese and scatter some olives over the cheese. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the cream from the potatoes and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, a healthy pinch of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and half the basil.
• Scatter the rest of the caramelized onions over the potatoes and tomatoes. Arrange another layer of potatoes, tomatoes and cheese on top; make this layer pretty, because it will be the top of your gratin. Pour the remaining cream from the potatoes and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the potatoes and tomatoes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme, olives and basil. Press the vegetables down with your fingers. The cream and oil will come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced, about 2 hours. Remove the gratin from the oven and uncover it, being careful of the steam.
• Turn the oven up to 450 degrees F and return the gratin, uncovered, to the oven. Cook until the juices have thickened and the top is nice and golden brown (as in "gratineed"), another 25 to 30 minutes.

POTATO GRATIN WITH PEPPERS, ONIONS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dribble 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a 2-quart rectangular or 14-inch-by-8-inch-by 2-inch oval baking dish and scatter 1/4 of the minced garlic over the bottom of the pan.
• Arrange the vegetables in layers, starting with the potatoes and peppers and finishing with the tomatoes and onion.
• Sprinkle salt, freshly ground pepper, and oregano and about 1/4 of the garlic between each layer.
• Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the surface and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until fork-tender.
• Note: The easiest way to slice the potatoes is with a mandoline. Remember that the thicker the potato slices, the longer it will take to bake.
• Note2: As I have wonderful dried oregano from Greece, I use that as it is better than what I can get fresh.