Grated Potato Galettes à la Julia Child (adapted from The Way to Cook)
Grated Potato Galettes are buttery crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They are easy to make and an elegant side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 large baking potatoes (1 ½ pounds total or about 12 ounces each) (See Tip 1)
- 1 stick (4 ounces, ½ cup) unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Steaming the Potatoes
- Several hours or a day in advance: Scrub the potatoes under hot running water; then steam them for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are almost but not quite cooked. After 15 minutes, pierce one with a sharp small knife which should just penetrate. Cut one of the potatoes in half crosswise: if there is a raw central core, steam for several minutes more. (If the central core is not cooked through, it can discolor.) Let the potatoes cool uncovered or refrigerated; the potatoes must be thoroughly cold before you grate them.
Making the Clarified Butter
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat without stirring. Once the butter is melted, allow to sit for 5 minutes. Then carefully pour off the clarified butter. Disgard the milk solids or use for another purpose. (See Tip 2)
Grating the Potatoes
- Peel the cold potatoes and grate with the large holes of a box grater onto a baking sheet or tray. (See Tip 3)
- Toss potatoes lightly with a sprinkling of salt (try ½ teaspoon) and pepper (try ¼ teaspoon), leaving them loosely massed; set aside until time to cook the galette.
Cooking the Potato Galette
- Heat half of the clarified butter in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add grated potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, pressing the potatoes together lightly with a spatula, until the bottom has crusted and browned. Flip onto a plate; add remaining clarified butter and slide galette back into pan. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Cut into serving pieces. Yield: 4 servings. (See Tips 4 and 5)
Tips/Notes
- Russet potatoes work best in this recipe because of their starch content. Avoid Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes.
- Although you can use the microwave for making clarified butter, it's a bit tricky. The reason is that as the water in the butter heats, it can cause the melted butter to "explode" causing a huge mess in the microwave.
- It's best not to grate the potatoes with the food processor. The reason is that the consistency of the grated potatoes is not as good if using the food processor.
- The galette may be cooked ahead of time and reheated briefly in a 425°F oven.
- Rather than making one large galette, you can make individual galettes. Also, rather than flipping the large galette, you can brown the top under the broiler.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 207mgPotassium: 444mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 710IUVitamin C: 6.1mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 0.9mg
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