Cheese and Potato Pie (Print)

Layers of creamy potatoes and cheese baked to golden perfection with onions and a rich cream sauce.

# Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2.6 lbs floury potatoes (Maris Piper or Yukon Gold), peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

04 - 5 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
05 - 5 oz mature cheddar cheese, grated
06 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
07 - 3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Seasonings

09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Topping

12 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-cup ovenproof pie or casserole dish and set aside.
02 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cooking for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent without browning. Remove from heat.
03 - Combine heavy cream, milk, Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper in a bowl and whisk until well blended.
04 - Arrange half the potato slices in the prepared dish with slight overlap. Top with half the onion mixture and sprinkle with half the combined Gruyère and cheddar cheese.
05 - Repeat with remaining potato slices, onion mixture, and cheeses.
06 - Pour cream mixture evenly over the layers. Gently press down with a spatula to compact the layers slightly.
07 - Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling at the edges.
09 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Two cheeses mean you get depth without it tasting samey—the Gruyère brings sophistication while cheddar keeps it warm and familiar.
  • Unlike complicated pies, this one asks for patience, not skill, which means you can actually relax while it bakes.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, so leftovers aren't sad; they're an unexpected gift to yourself.
02 -
  • Slice your potatoes on a mandoline if you have one, or with a very sharp knife held carefully—uniform thickness is the difference between some potatoes being crunchy while others dissolve.
  • Don't skip the resting time at the end; I learned this by cutting into one too early and watching the filling run everywhere like a cream soup disaster.
  • The cream mixture needs to cover the layers completely, or the exposed potatoes on top will dry out and turn tough.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese just before assembling—pre-grated cheese has anticaking agents that prevent it from melting as smoothly and won't build the creamy layers you're after.
  • Taste the cream mixture before pouring; this is your last chance to adjust seasoning, and it's the only part of the dish where fixing it is easy.
  • If your oven runs hot, cover the foil-wrapped pie with a second layer to prevent the top from browning too quickly and the potatoes from staying raw underneath.
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