Pommes de Terre a l’Ail (French Garlic Potatoes)

My mother has had this French recipe for years but rarely made it for us as it requires quite a lot of butter!  Recently, I started making it, and every single time  I prepare it, I  say to myself that next time I will try to substitute butter with olive oil.  But when that next time comes, the movie “No Reservations” with Catherine Zeta Jones and Aaron Eckhart is always in my mind with that dialogue between the two chefs:

– “What are the three secrets of the French Cuisine?”

–  “Butter, butter and butter.”

There is obviously a good reason for using butter in this recipe and I’m not quite ready to give up on it!! I guess, a little butter from now and then, won’t hurt! It’s a great side dish for a steak and a big green salad!

INGREDIENTS

• 10 Medium Golden Potatoes
• 4 + 1 tablespoons good quality unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit  (205 degree Celsius).
2. Cut potatoes in half vertically, and then in slices (about 1/2 inch thick or about 1 cm) – resembling apple slices. Place them onto a large baking dish and pat them dry with a paper towel.
3. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter, salt, pepper and sugar and combine until potatoes are well covered.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden.
5. Transfer potatoes into a serving dish.
6. In  a small pan and over low-medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add garlic.  Cook garlic slightly.
7. Pour butter and garlic mixture on top of baked potatoes.
8. Grate Parmesan cheese over potatoes and serve immediately.