Photo: Richard Gerhard Jung

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
• 4 strips bacon (about 6 ounces)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
• 2 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Peel potatoes and cut into thirds lengthwise. Set aside.

In a nonstick skillet, cook bacon until very crisp and browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat. When cool, crumble bacon and set aside. Stir cream, nutmeg, and thyme into fat in pan; set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with 2 Tbsp. salt to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until just tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove potatoes.

Grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter. Rub garlic on the inside surface of the dish, pressing hard to extract as much garlic juice as possible.

Layer all potatoes in dish, overlapping if necessary. On top of each layer, sprinkle some bacon, salt, pepper, and cheese, reserving 1/2 cup cheese. Slowly pour cream mixture over potatoes.

Cover dish with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and continue baking until bubbly and lightly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.

More Tasty Potato Recipes

• Smashed Red Potatoes with Olive Oil
• Oven Baked Steak Fries
• Sweet Potato Tarts with Brown Sugar-Walnut Streusel