POTATO/TOMATO CASSEROLE

Potato-Tomato GratinFrom Cook””s Country | April/May 2014Add to FavoritesShopping listEmailPrintWHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:Fresh tomatoes add great flavor to potato gratin, but they also add lots of moisture. For a clean flavor profile, we nixed the cream for this Provence-inspired dish. Broth was a better fit, but as it turned out, the juice from the tomatoes alone provided enough moisture to cook the potatoes toÉ read moreSERVES 6 TO 8A mandoline makes quick work of slicing the potatoes (tomatoes are better sliced by hand).INGREDIENTS2 tablespoons olive oil2 onions, halved and sliced thinSalt and pepper2 garlic cloves, minced1/4 cup water1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped3 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme8 ounces Gruyre cheese, shredded (2 cups)INSTRUCTIONS1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water and cook until nearly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in olives; set aside.3. Shingle half of tomatoes in even layer in prepared dish. _Shingle half of potatoes over tomatoes and sprinkle 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over top. Spread onion mixture evenly over potatoes. Shingle remaining potatoes over onions. Shingle remaining tomatoes over potatoes. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over top.4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Sprinkle with Gruyre and continue to bake until cheese is browned and bubbly and potatoes are completely tender, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Let cool for 30 minutes. Serve.TEST KITCHEN TECHNIQUE: LAYER BY LAYER AND ROW BY ROWGratins are layered practically by definition. For our Potato-Tomato Gratin, in which the potato slices gently cook in the juices released by the tomatoes, it””s critical that each potato layer adjoin a tomato layer.LAYERS FROM TOP TO BOTTOMcheesetomatopotatoonionpotatotomatoRELATED CONTENTEQUIPMENT REVIEWTraditional SkilletsEQUIPMENT REVIEW13 by 9-Inch Baking Pans/DishesTASTE TESTGruyere ,,,.,