Gratin potatoes (Girardet)

peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices (about 3 mm thick). do not wash them. put them in a saucepan.
peel the garlic and cut it into very small pieces.
mix these with the potato slices.
cover the potato slices with the milk.
season with salt, pepper, cayenne and a few grated nutmeg.
Put the casserole over a rather high heat and cook the potatoes for 4-5 minutes, or until you see that the milk has mixed and has gained a little weight thanks to the starch released by the potatoes.
At that point, add half the cream and bring the saucepan to a boil.
Remove from the fire, taste and correct - if necessary - for salt.
Butter a gratin container.
This must be large enough to fit all the potatoes, with the height of the pile not being greater than 2 cm.
arrange the potatoes in the bowl along with their already creamy milk.
add the rest of the cream and mix well.
Spread a few balls of butter over the surface.
preheat the oven to 160º.
Bake the potatoes on top of the oven for a long hour and a half.
ideal to accompany simple poultry or roast meat stews.
the gratin will be all the better the slower and less intense the previous cooking has been.