To make perfect scalloped potatoes, slice them evenly using a mandolin, cook them thoroughly in a cheese sauce, and reserve some cheese to add at the end. Parboiling before cooking can reduce cooking time. Cook uncovered to avoid watering down the sauce and sprinkle cheese on top before broiling.
When making scalloped potatoes, there are a few tips that can make the process much easier and help ensure a more consistent dish. The potatoes should be cut to the same thickness for even cooking. A long cooking time is typically required to ensure potatoes are cooked thoroughly and evenly, although parboiling them before cooking can reduce this. It’s often best to reserve some of the cheese until the dish is nearly done, then add it at the end to allow the cheese to melt and brown without burning.
One of the most important considerations in making scalloped potatoes is the thickness and shape of the potatoes themselves. The uniform thickness of the slices is essential to ensure that each piece cooks at the same speed as every other. This ensures that all the potatoes in the dish are done at the same time which is important as otherwise some pieces may be perfectly cooked while others are underused. Using a mandolin to make scalloped potatoes can make this a lot easier, as the fixed blade ensures even slicing of each piece.
Scalloped potatoes need an adequate amount of time in an oven to ensure proper cooking, even with consistent thicknesses. This often takes quite a long cooking time, with the potatoes covered in a milky cheese sauce that cooks them through. Shorter cooking times can be achieved by first parboiling the potato wedges in a pot of water, either all the way through or very close. The scalloped potatoes can then be assembled and cooked in an oven to allow the flavors to mingle, but less time is needed to get the potatoes cooked properly.
This long cooking time can make scalloped potatoes fairly easy to burn, but they’re typically cooked uncovered to ensure even and accurate cooking temperatures. Leaving them uncovered is also important as it keeps the sauce thick and creamy; covering the dish would trap the steam and potentially water it down. As the cooking time ends, however, it may help to sprinkle some grated cheese on top of the scalloped potatoes and then place them under a broiler. This applies direct, powerful heat to the top of the dish, which melts and browns the cheese, but it can be done for a short time to prevent burning.
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