Pommes Anna is a French potato dish made with potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper, layered in a pan and baked or pan-fried. It is a classic French dish that requires few steps and is relatively cheap to make. It is believed to have been founded in the 1800s by chef Adolphe Dugléré.
Pommes Anna is a French potato dish dating back to the 19th century that generally calls for just four ingredients: potatoes, butter, salt, and pepper. The potatoes are usually cut very thin and layered in a pan of melted butter. The dish can be baked or pan-fried on the stovetop and often requires turning over at least once during the cooking process. The result is a circular potato cake that can be cut into slices. It is typically served as a side dish that is crunchy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside.
Many food experts suggest waxy, firm potatoes over regular oven potatoes for this recipe. Four to six spuds are often requested in just one dish of Anna di pommes. Care must be taken to cut them thin enough. This can be time-consuming, but a mandolin or food processor can speed up the job.
The butter is then melted in a pan. Any nonstick skillet should work for stovetop recipes. Most cooks prefer to bake Anna in the oven anyway; in this case, you might prefer a cast iron skillet, because they are oven safe. You can purchase an Anna copper pan made specifically for this dish. Its two halves not only help to make the cake compact, but allow for easier turning during baking.
The potatoes are then inserted into the plan in several overlapping layers. Each layer is usually brushed generously with more butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Any leftover butter can be drizzled over Anna’s cream before it’s baked or fried. Trying to substitute any other type of fat for butter is not recommended.
Although Anna Pommes may take considerable effort to prepare and time to cook, it is still enjoyed by many as a classic French dish that requires very few steps. It is relatively cheap to make and uses readily available ingredients. You can find any number of recipes online and in different French cookbooks.
Pommes Anna is believed to have been founded in the 1800s by chef Adolphe Dugléré, who worked at the famous Parisian restaurant Café Anglais. Although the dish’s namesake has been debated, many argue that it was named after actress Anna Deslions. Cook Julia Child points out, however, that Deslions was an artist later in her life, but at the time of Dugléré’s creation, she was actually a well-known and beloved courtesan.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
