Pommes Anna with Gruyere is a recipe that will warm and satisfy you.This recipe is just what you need if you’re looking for a hearty and flavorful dish to eat when you’re feeling down. In this blog, I will discuss the history of Anna potatoes, the procedures that must be followed in order to cook them, and the reasons why Gruyere cheese is the ideal accompaniment.

Origin of Pommes Anna

Anna potatoes, or pommes Anna, are a traditional French side dish prepared with thinly sliced potatoes, butter, and the oven. Anna Deslions, a well-known courtesan in 19th-century Paris, inspired the dish’s name. Chef Adolphe Dugléré of the famous Parisian restaurant Café Anglais is credited with inventing Pommes Anna in her honour. Famous chef Dugléré wanted to make a meal that would reflect his muse’s refined tastes, so he set out to do just that. Dugléré made Pommes Anna by layering thinly sliced potatoes in a greased plate, sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper and coating it with melted butter.

To make the potatoes soft and the top golden and crisp, he cooked the dish in a hot oven. The end result was a meal that was both easy to prepare and refined in taste, and it immediately became a favourite of Paris’s most trendy eateries. Pommes Anna eventually became a staple in French cuisine and could be seen on menus and dinner tables all throughout the nation. Some chefs have added cheese, herbs, or other ingredients to the recipe to give it a new spin over the years. Thinly cut potatoes, butter, and a heated oven are the three essential ingredients.

Even in the modern day, Pommes Anna remains a favourite of French chefs and foodies throughout the globe because to its understated sophistication.

Key Ingredients of Pommes Anna with Gruyere

Pommes Anna with Gruyere is a twist on the traditional French meal that incorporates the savoury essence of Gruyere cheese with potato slices that have been cut very thinly and are cooked in butter. The cheese is vital because it creates a beautiful crust that is crunchy on top and because it adds a taste that is rich and nutty all throughout the dish. If you want perfect Pommes Anna with Gruyere, you need to start with perfect potatoes and cheese.

Potatoes – In order to get the greatest results from this dish, you should be sure to choose a potato that is high in starch, such a Russet or an Idaho. The high starch content of these potatoes makes them ideal for making Pommes Anna because it ensures that they cook evenly and gives them a texture that is soft but yet has some degree of firmness. They lack sufficient taste to not compete with the cheese and butter for attention in the dish.

Cheese – When it comes to the cheese, Gruyere is the standard and works well here. It melts nicely into a crisp golden crust, and its rich and nutty flavour complements the potatoes and butter. However, other similar cheeses, such as Emmental or Comte, can be used as a substitute if Gruyere is unavailable. It’s crucial to choose a cheese that melts evenly and has a flavour that goes well with whatever you’re cooking. Cheeses that are either too mild or too harsh might be overpowered by the other flavours, so finding a happy medium is important.

Butter – The butter enhances the dish’s flavour. The mellow flavour of the potatoes and the nutty taste of the cheese are both enhanced by the butter’s rich and savoury flavour when melted. When you brush melted butter over the potato layers as you stack them, the dish takes on a uniformly buttery flavour. The butter contributes to the dish’s overall mouthfeel. Pommes Anna benefit from even baking and a soft, somewhat crunchy texture thanks to the butter that melts and gets into the potatoes while they bake in the oven. The butter not only provides flavour, but also helps make a golden and crunchy layer on top of the dish.

Pommes Anna with Gruyere is a simple but exquisite recipe that combines potatoes, butter, and cheese to make a satisfying and refined meal.

 Pommes Anna with Gruyere

Recipe by Smit Modi

Course: Side DIsh, Lunch, Dinner  /  Cuisine: French /  Difficulty: Easy

Servings

2 servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

39 minutes

Calories

281 kcal

Pommes Anna with Gruyere is a dish of crispy layers of finely sliced potatoes and melting cheese that will leave you feeling pampered and satisfied.

Ingredients

• 2 russet or Idaho potatoes
• 32 g butter
• 60 g grated gruyere cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1 tsp thyme

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the potatoes into paper-thin circles using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. Use some of the melted butter to grease a small baking dish (4 inches in diameter). Chopped thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper should be combined in a separate bowl.
2. Cover the bottom of the dish with potato slices, overlapping them in a slightly uneven manner. On top of the layer, cover it with some melted butter and then sprinkle some of the herb mixture on top of it. Repeat the process after each layer of potatoes, being sure to include the butter and spices each time, until all of the potatoes have been used. When you are finished layering the potatoes, sprinkle the grated Gruyere cheese over the top of them.
3. Bake the dish for 30 minutes with the foil on top. Take off the foil and keep baking for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and fork soft. After a few minutes, run a knife along the edge of the pan and invert the Pommes Anna onto a platter.
4. After removing it from the oven, let it to cool for a couple of minutes before serving. Bon Appetit!

Notes

• When sliced as thinly and evenly as possible, the potatoes will turn out with results that are uniformly soft and just a little bit crunchy. Utilise a mandoline to get very even slicing.
• If you bake the Pommes Anna in a more compact baking dish, they will cook more evenly and maintain their shape better. You should choose a dish that is at least 4 inches in diameter.
• Make sure every mouthful of potato is bursting with flavour by seasoning it with salt, pepper, and the herb combination as you go.
• Flavour and a golden, crispy crust can’t be achieved without the melted butter. Be careful to use a lot of the melted butter to coat each layer of potatoes.
• Allowing the Pommes Anna to cool for a few minutes after baking is essential for setting and maintaining its form when slicing. To remove the dish from the pan, run a knife around the outside.

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The addition of thyme and rosemary to the already exquisite Pommes Anna with Gruyere will blow your mind.

Conclusion

Pommes Anna, a classic French dish that is always a hit with diners, are served with melted Gruyere cheese on top. Due to the limited number of components and the elaborate manner in which they are presented, it is ideally suited for social gatherings or a private dinner for two. Follow our step-by-step instructions and recommendations for success, and you can be certain that the completed product will be a delectable delight.