Crispy Potato Roast

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)(I used aleppo, which is milder and can therefore be used more generously)
• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled (smaller diameter potatoes are great, if you can find them)
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 8 sprigs thyme
• Garnishes (optional): Gruyere Cheese (or bits of goat cheese), crumbles of bacon and/or bits of crisped pancetta

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• In a small bowl, combine butter and oil.

• With a sharp knife or manoline, slice potatoes crosswise very thinly.

• Figure out what baking dish you’d like to use [see Note above]; Martha suggests a 9-inch round baking dish (a deep dish pie pan would fit this bill) though I think you could go an inch bigger, an oval 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish might also be pretty.

• Once you’ve picked the dish that seems the best fit for your slices, pour a tablespoon or so of the butter/oil mixture in the bottom and spread it evenly.

• Sprinkle the oil mixture with a few pinches of coarse salt and red pepper flakes, if using; this will allow you to season both the top and underside of the potatoes.

• Arrange your potato slices vertically in the dish.

• Thinly slice shallots with your mandoline and slide shallot slivers between potato wedges, distributing them as evenly as possible.

• Brush with remaining oil/butter mixture.

• Generously season your dish with salt; go easier on the red pepper flakes, if using.

• Bake 1 1/4 hours, then arrange thyme sprigs on top and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisped top, about 35 minutes more.

• If casserole seems to brown too fast, cover it with foil to slow it down.

• Add any garnishes, if using, and serve immediately.