This is a fast method for producing a delicious potato gratin. I discovered it accidentally, and it’s since become a personal favorite.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 teaspoon minced garlic or a grating of nutmeg (optional)

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　3 cups half-and-half or milk, or more

　　

Step 1

Layer the potatoes in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet or roasting pan, sprinkling salt and pepper and, if you like, garlic or nutmeg between the layers. Dot with the butter, then add enough half-and-half or milk to come about three-quarters of the way to the top. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Turn the heat under the potatoes to high and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the level of both liquid and potatoes has subsided somewhat. Put in the oven and cook, undisturbed, until the top is nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 300°F and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender (a thin-bladed knife will pierce them with little or no resistance), about 10 minutes more. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven or over very low heat for up to 30 minutes.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.