Cheesy Bacon Potato Stacks with Gruyere
By Helen Park
Prep
20 min
Cook
45 min
Total
65 min
Servings
12
Level
Medium
Cooking potato slices in double cream enriches the flavor and texture of the sauce․ Using foil when baking potato layers helps heat the potatoes without burning the top layer․ I cook potatoes in a muffin tin to serve individual portions and place bacon between potato layers in the middle․
Flour-based potatoes are ideal for this recipe․ Cut the potatoes into 3mm‚ or 1/8-inch‚ rounds․ Waxy potatoes will be too soft and likely fall apart after cooking․ To help with preparation‚ I cut long potatoes into small cylinders before cutting them into potato rounds․ This can eliminate waste and excess cutting when preparing potatoes for muffin cups․ You will need 84 potato rounds to make seven layers of seven potatoes each stack․
Position pie slices in each layer over the edges of the pan and press down․ Loosely cover the pan with foil for the first bake․ Baked pies will be higher than the pan․ Allow the pies to shrink during baking․ After 40 minutes of baking time‚ stick a knife into the pies to test for doneness․ Use two knives to rearrange the slices․ Add cheese topping and broil on high heat until the cheese is melted and browned․
After the cheese is grilled on the tongs‚ set the tray aside for 5 to 10 minutes and use a spoon to lift the stacks out․ Allowing the cheese to set helps keep it intact when served on a plate․ I occasionally garnish with chopped chives if they are available․ Bacon and cheese are tasty enough without other toppings․ Serve and enjoy right away․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Blanching round steaks in cream ensures even coating, A cream-based sauce used to assemble this dish sticks to the various layers of meat․
- The muffin tray has 12 compartments and straight sides‚ but the stacks are taller than the holes in the muffin tray․
- Foil is placed over the tray when baking, The top layers of potatoes do not cook properly‚ do not dry out‚ before the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork․
- Each stack has seven layers of potatoes, The Gruyere cheese and bacon are layered in the middle․
- A final broiling step browns the grated cheese topping on the potatoes․
- After 5 to 10 minutes‚ the layers in the pan will be stiff enough to remove in clumps․
Ingredients
- •9 slices bacon (thin slices)
- •1 kg baking potatoes (1-1.2 kg / 2.2-2.6 lb, floury variety such as Maris Piper or Russet)
- •240 ml double or heavy cream (1 cup)
- •½ tsp salt
- •¼ tsp black pepper
- •⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- •butter (knob, for greasing the muffin tray)
- •100 g Gruyere (100-120 g / 3-4 oz, finely grated, or use Cheddar)
- •fresh chives (finely diced, optional garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the 9 bacon slices by your preferred method until crisp.
- 2
Pat the bacon dry with kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
- 3
Cut each rasher into 4 pieces, for 36 pieces total.
- 4
Peel the potatoes and slice off the top and bottom.
- 5
Trim around each potato with a knife or peeler to make cylinders wide enough to fit the muffin tray.
- 6
Slice the potatoes into rounds about 3mm, or 1/8 inch, thick, making 84 slices total.
- 7
Pour the 240ml cream into a pot over medium heat.
- 8
Stir the nutmeg, salt, and black pepper into the cream.
- 9
Add the potato slices and gently simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently, until the cream thickens.
- 10
Remove the pot from the heat.
- 11
Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tray with butter.
- 12
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, put 1 potato slice in each muffin hole.
- 13
Add a small pinch of cheese, then press down another potato slice.
- 14
Add bacon, then place another potato slice on top.
- 15
Repeat the layers two more times to make 7 potato layers, 3 bacon layers, and 3 cheese layers, finishing with potato.
- 16
Drizzle a small amount of sauce over each stack and loosely cover the tray with foil.
- 17
Bake at 180C/350F for 40 minutes, or until knife tender.
- 18
Remove the foil and use two knives to neaten any stacks that have slid.
- 19
Top the stacks with the remaining cheese.
- 20
Grill on high until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- 21
Leave the stacks to sit for 5-10 minutes, then carefully scoop them out with a spoon.
- 22
Garnish with chives if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
233
Protein
6.51g
Fat
16.58g
Carbs
15.31g
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