POTATO PAVÉ

“Pavé” is a French culinary term used to described flat rectangular shaped foods. Bake this layered potato dish in a rectangular dish, then weigh the potatoes down to get that flat pavé look. After they’ve cooled and set, slice into individual rectangles before reheating and serving as a side dish to complement an elegant dinner entree.

Yield: Makes 12.

POTATO PAVÉ

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whipping cream*
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves*
  • 1 tbsp salt*
  • 2 tsp freshly ground pepper*
  • 9 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes (1/8 inch)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine cream, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add potatoes to cream mixture.
  3. Remove a small amount of potato slices from cream mixture with a slotted spoon. Place potato slices in a layer in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Repeat procedure until no potato slices remain; discard remaining cream mixture.
  4. Bake, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 50 - 60 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven and place on a rack; uncover.
  5. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of potatoes. Place an empty baking pan or dish of the same size, bottom side down, on top of parchment paper. Fill empty pan with cans to weigh potatoes down. Let stand for 1 hour.
  6. Remove pan with cans from bottom baking dish. Remove parchment paper from potatoes. Cool potatoes in baking dish for 1 hour. Cover baking dish loosely and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  8. Remove baking dish from refrigerator. Uncover and run a knife around sides of dish to loosen potatoes. Invert potatoes onto a cutting board. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 3 equal strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 equal squares. There should be 12 squares. Place squares on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.
  9. Bake until potatoes are heated through, about 20 - 25 minutes.
Nutritional analysis per square:

85 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.8 g protein, 19.7 g carbohydrate, 1.4 g fibre, 5 mg sodium

*Ingredient not included in nutritional analysis.

Tip: We used a mandoline to thinly slice the potatoes. A mandoline is a kitchen utensil with adjustable blades that is used to slice and julienne fruits and vegetables.