Tomato Season: Provencal Summer Potato Gratin

Provençal Summer Potato Gratin by Martha Rose Shulman

(from NYTimes Well section)

You can use almost any type of potato for this savory gratin. I know because I recently made it with odds and ends that had been sitting in my pantry for a little too long. They included a russet, a few Yukon golds and some fingerlings.

2 garlic cloves

Extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and sliced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 pounds potatoes, peeled if desired or scrubbed, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

1 or 2 sprigs rosemary

2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (1/2 cup, tightly packed)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut one of the garlic cloves in half, and rub a 3-quart gratin or baking dish with the cut half. Oil the dish with olive oil. Mince the halved garlic along with the remaining garlic, and toss with the tomatoes. Add the thyme, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

2. Make a layer of half the potato slices, slightly overlapping the layers, and season generously with salt and pepper. Layer half the tomatoes over the potatoes. Place the rosemary sprig(s) on top. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes and tomatoes. Be sure to season each layer generously. Pour any juices left in the tomato bowl over the vegetables.

3. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, and carefully pour into the baking dish. Bake 45 minutes, checking and pressing the potatoes down into the liquid after 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, press the potatoes down into the liquid in the dish and sprinkle on the cheese. Bake another 30 to 45 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the potatoes and the gratin is lightly browned. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: Serves four to six.

Advance preparation: The gratin can be assembled several hours before baking. It doesn’t have to be served hot, so you can bake it an hour or two ahead and serve it warm.