My Creamy Scalloped Potatoes With Ham is a recipe I’ve been working on for years. Although I love Julia Child’s recipe in which almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the potatoes, there are times I just want a wonderfully creamy version. Also, I wanted to enhance the dish with smoked ham so that I could turn what normally is a side dish into the main attraction.
I experimented with many versions and recipes before I came up with this one, with which I’m quite pleased. I wanted evenly cut potatoes that are cooked perfectly, but not dry. I also wanted a creamy sauce that isn’t pasty and doesn’t turn watery, which is so often the case, and I want a cheesy golden crust on the top. For some background on gratin or scalloped potoatoes, click here.
To Go Directly to the Recipe, Click Here.
Place a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat it to 350°. Place a large baking pan on the rack. This will help cleanup in case the potatoes boil over.
Peel and slice the potatoes about 3⁄8-inch thick. This is best done on a mandoline, which gives you completely even-cut potatoes and gets the job done in a couple minutes.
Slice potatoes on a mandoline.
3/8-inch-sliced potatoes.
If you don’t have a mandoline, it can be done with a sharp knife. Place the slices in a large kettle with 4 cups of whole milk, the bay leaf, and the salt.
Cook potatoes in milk.
Rub a large baking dish or a 9-13-inch baking pan with the garlic clove.
Rub the dish with garlic.
This provides just a hint of garlic flavor. Then place that garlic in the pot with the potatoes and milk. The precooking ensures that your potatoes will all be cooked properly.
Bring the pot slowly to the simmer. When it has come to the simmer, continue to cook the potatoes gently for about 4-5 minutes until they are just barely tender, but not fully cooked and certainly not falling apart. Discard the bay leaf and the garlic clove. Carefully remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving behind in the kettle about 2 1⁄2 cups of hot milk.
In another saucepan, melt the butter. When it is fully melted, whisk in the 3 tablespoons of flour, and cook and whisk it for a 2-3 minutes without allowing it to brown. This is your roux, which will prevent the Creamy Scalloped Potatoes With Ham from turning watery.
Make the roux.
Whisk in the warm milk in which the potatoes were cooked. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens. Then whisk in the heavy cream. Finally, off the heat, whisk in about 1⁄2 cup of the grated Swiss cheese, and continue whisking until the cheese is melted.
Make the mornay sauce.
This is called a Mornay sauce. If you whisk in the cheese while the sauce is on the heat, it will likely turn stringy.
Cut the ham into about 1⁄4-inch-thick slices. I get my deli to cut a thick slice for me.
Slice the ham.
Place a layer of potatoes in the baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Layer 1⁄3 of the ham slices over the potatoes.
Layer the potatoes with ham and cheese.
Sprinkle 1⁄3 of the remaining Swiss cheese over the potatoes. Then continue making two more layers of potatoes, salt and pepper, ham slices, and Swiss cheese.
Pour the warm Mornay sauce over the 3 layers of potatoes. Even off the top with a spatula, and sprinkle it with the 1⁄4 cup of grated Pamigiano.
Ready to bake.
If you wish, you could also, pour the sauce over each layer. Just be sure you leave enough to cover the top of the casserole.
Bake in the preheated oven on the baking pan for about 1 hour or until the potatoes are fully cooked and the top is golden brown.
Baked Creamy Scalloped Potatoes With Ham.
Allow the the Creamy Scalloped Potatoes With Ham to rest for about 10-15 minutes before attempting to serve them.
