A classic French potato dish. Potatoes boulangère is a very flavorful side dish and works well with many main courses. Main dishes include roasted meats and various vegetable dishes allowing you to create flavorful menus for your family. The slices of potatoes are somewhat thinly sliced to absorb the stock and herb flavors. The potatoes need time to absorb the flavors. By baking the potatoes, I am allowing time in the oven for the flavors to enter the potatoes. The chicken stock, pancetta and herbs to all mingle during the time in the oven creating a flavorful dish.

History

Potatoes boulangère, or pommes boulangère, are a traditional French dish whose name means “baker’s potatoes.” This recipe originated centuries ago. In small rural communities where many households lacked ovens there was a village baker’s oven people could use. Families layered sliced potatoes and onions in a dish and left it at the village baker’s oven. While attending Sunday Mass this dish would cook slowly in the fading heat after bread had been baked. On the way home from church services, families would stop by the baker to pick up their dish that would be served for supper.

In its current meaning, the recipe is a simple oven-baked potato side dish: thin potato and onion slices are layered, seasoned with herbs, moistened with stock, and baked until tender with a browned top. It is commonly served with roast lamb, beef, or chicken.

In this version, I brown the potato slices in a combination of pancetta grease and butter. Because of the browning of the potatoes I still get the sautéed potato flavor which allows reduction of cooking time in the oven.

I can create a vegetarian option: omit the pancetta. Substitute chicken stock for vegetable stock and I have a flavorful potato dish suitable for vegetarians.

Potatoes Boulangere

Potatoes cooked in a chicken stock and pancetta baked in the oven

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings: 6 people

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: French

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

3 Tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon butter
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes sliced 1/4 inch half moon
3 ounces diced pancetta
2 Tablespoons dried chicken soup mix
2 – 2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp pepper
1 medium onion or 2 leeks diced
2 tsp thyme

Equipment

1 Dutch oven
1 10 or 12 inch frypan
1 spatula
1 Cutting board
1 Kitchen knife
1 Set of measuring spoons
1 set of measuring cups
1 spoon for tasting
1 medium bowl for setting aside cooked potatoes
1 medium bowl for setting aside raw potatoes
1 small bowl for chopped onions/leeks

Method

Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick half-moon slices. Set aside.
In the Dutch ovenadd and brown the pancetta, 5-7 minutes. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside.
In a Dutch oven heat on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add enough potatoes to cover just the bottom of Dutch oven (cook one layer of potatoes.) Brown each layer on both sides 6-8 minutes per group of potatoes. Remove cooked potatoes set aside in a separate bowl.
Add next batch of potatoes to Dutch oven, brown on each side. Remove potatoes from Dutch oven and add to other cooked potatoes. You will have 3 or 4 batches of potatoes.
After all potatoes are browned, remove all potatoes from Dutch oven. Add the onions/leeks and more butter and oil to the Dutch oven and soften. (deglaze)
When the onions/leeks are softened add 1 cup water to the Dutch oven and scrape the bottom of the Dutch to release the cooked on remains of the potatoes AKA fond.
After scraping the bottom add the potatoes, powdered chicken stock, browned pancetta, thyme, pepper and garlic. and stir. add enough water to just cover potatoes. (see photo) Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, remove Dutch oven from stove and place Dutch oven, uncovered in a 350 degrees F oven and bake for 25 minutes.
After baking in the oven remove and place on a heat resistant pad/rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Bon Appetite!