Nigella Potato Gratin (Printable Version)

Layers of thinly sliced potatoes baked with cream, milk, and aromatic nigella seeds until golden and bubbling.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2.5 lbs starchy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium onion, finely sliced

→ Dairy & Cream

03 - 1 ½ cups heavy cream
04 - ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk
05 - 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Spices & Aromatics

07 - 2 tsp nigella seeds
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - ½ tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish generously with butter.
02 - Arrange half of the sliced potatoes in the prepared dish, overlapping slightly. Scatter half the onions, half the minced garlic, 1 tsp of nigella seeds, and half the salt, pepper, and nutmeg over the potatoes.
03 - Layer the remaining potatoes and onions on top. Season with the remaining garlic, nigella seeds, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, distributing evenly.
04 - Whisk the heavy cream and whole milk together in a bowl, then pour the mixture evenly over the layered potatoes. Dot the surface with small pieces of the unsalted butter.
05 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes until the potatoes are nearly tender when pierced with a knife.
06 - Remove the foil and sprinkle the grated Gruyère cheese evenly over the top. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for another 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the gratin is bubbling.
07 - Allow the gratin to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving so the layers set and the creamy sauce thickens slightly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The nigella seeds add an almost oniony, earthy depth that makes this gratin taste like no other potato dish you have had.
  • It is genuinely easy to assemble, and the oven does all the transformative work while you pour yourself a glass of wine.
02 -
  • Slicing the potatoes unevenly is the fastest way to end up with some layers turning to mush while others stay stubbornly firm, a mandoline slicer is your best friend here.
  • Infusing the milk with a bay leaf for ten minutes before mixing it with the cream adds a subtle savory note that most people will not be able to name but will absolutely notice.
03 -
  • Take the cream and milk out of the refrigerator thirty minutes before assembling so the cold dairy does not shock the layered potatoes and slow down the initial baking phase.
  • Toast the nigella seeds in a dry pan for one minute before layering them to wake up their essential oils and double their aromatic impact.

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