Gratin

{{Short description|Cooking technique of creating a browned crust}} {{Redirect|Scalloped potatoes|potato scallops|Potato cake}} [[File:Gratin-Dauphinois.jpg|thumb|Gratin dauphinois|170px]] '''Gratin''' ({{IPA|fr|ɡʁatɛ̃|lang}}) is a culinary technique in which a dish is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, cheese, or egg.<ref name="larousse2003">Courtine, Robert J. (ed.) (2003) ''The Concise Larousse Gastronomique'' London: Hamlyn {{ISBN|0-600-60863-8}}</ref><ref>The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition definition from [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gratin dictionary.com]</ref> The term may be applied to any dish made using this method.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gratin |url=https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/gratin-glossary |website=BBC Good Food |access-date=2 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Gratin is usually prepared in a shallow dish. A gratin is baked or cooked under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden crust on top, and it is often served in its baking dish.<ref name="larousse2003" />

Popular potato-based gratins are referred to by a variety of names including '''scalloped potatoes''', '''potatoes ''au gratin''''' (or '''''au gratin'' potatoes'''), and '''potato bake'''. The name "'''old rotten potatoes'''"<ref>{{cite news |title=Old Rotten Potatoes |url=https://www.sunherald.com/latest-news/article36464667.html |access-date=2026-04-08 |work=Biloxi Sun Herald}}</ref> is sometimes used humorously.

A ''gratin dish'' is a shallow oven-proof container that is commonly used to prepare gratins and similar dishes.

==Terminology== {{Wiktionary|gratin|au gratin}} The etymology of gratin is from the French language word ''gratter'', meaning "to scrape" (from having to scrape the food out of the dish it was cooked in).<ref>{{cite web |title=GRATIN : Etymologie de GRATIN |url=https://www.cnrtl.fr/etymologie/gratin |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=www.cnrtl.fr}}</ref> The technique predates the current name, which did not appear in English until 1846 (''OED'', ''s.v.'' "gratin").

In addition to the well-known potato dishes such as ''gratin dauphinois'', ''gratin'' may be applied to many other bases of meat, fish, vegetables, or pasta.<ref name="larousse2003" /><ref>Le Répertoire de La Cuisine by Louis Saulnier, 17th Edition, published 1982</ref>

==Preparations== Many gratinéed dishes are topped with béchamel, mornay or other sauces.<ref>Julia Child, ''Mastering the Art of French Cooking'' (1961)</ref>

===Potato-based=== ====Potatoes gratiné==== thumb|Sweet Potato Au Gratin.|170px ''Potatoes gratiné'' is one of the most common gratins and is known by various names, including “gratin potatoes” and ''gratin de pommes de terre''. Slices of boiled potato are put in a buttered fireproof dish, sprinkled with cheese, and browned in the oven. Sliced raw potatoes may also be baked in a liquid or sauce that steams them and forms a golden crust on top.<ref name="boul">Elvia Firuski; Maurice Firuski (eds.) (1952) ''The Best of Boulestin''. London: William Heinemann. p. 249.</ref> In the US, the dish is referred to variously as funeral potatoes, potatoes ''au gratin'', scalloped potatoes, or ''au gratin'' potatoes. In English-speaking Canada, it is called scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin. In French-speaking Canada, the dish is referred to as ''patates au gratin''. In Australia, it is known as potato bake, and New Zealanders refer to it as scalloped potatoes, potato scallops, or potato cake. In North America, traditionally, ''au gratin'' potatoes included cheese and scalloped potatoes did not,<ref>Lake of the Woods Milling Company, Ltd. (1913 [1967]) ''Five Roses Cook Book'' Montreal: Whitecap Books, p. 177</ref> but this differentiation has been lost to time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thekitchn.com/scalloped-potatoes-au-gratin-difference-261486 |title=What's the Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes? |last= |first= |date=May 1, 2019 |website=thekitchn.com |publisher= |access-date=August 7, 2021 |quote=The confusion lies in the fact that the classic definitions are often ignored. There are countless recipes for scalloped potatoes ... that call for cheese, breadcrumbs, or both, which, according to my classification above, would technically make them potatoes au gratin.}}</ref>

====Pommes de terre gratinées==== To proceed into making the ingredients of ''pommes de terre gratinées'', or "potatoes with cheese," according to the recipe information of Marcel Boulestin, informs the viewers large floury potatoes are baked in the oven, then halved and the flesh scooped from the skins. Marcel Boulestin emphasizes that the gratin should never be "dry." It, mostly, requires a well made sauce, usually, a Béchamel or a Mornay (cheese sauce) that, mainly, acts as the medium for the primary ingredient, whether that be fish, cauliflower, or macaroni. The flesh is mashed with the use of butter, cream, grated cheese, and seasoning(s). The mix is then scooped back into the skins, it is arranged in a baking dish, sprinkled with grated cheese, and to be cook browned in the oven or under the grill. This preparation method is, occasionally, also called "twice-baked potatoes".<ref name=boul/>

====Gratin dauphinois==== {{main|Gratin dauphinois}}

''Gratin dauphinois'' is a speciality of the Dauphiné region of France. The dish is typically made with thinly sliced and layered potatoes, and cream, cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic.<ref name="larousse2003" /> Some recipes add cheese and eggs.<ref name="liz">Elizabeth David (1964 [1960]) ''French Provincial Cooking''. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 251–2.</ref>

====Gratin savoyard==== Gratin savoyard is a similar dish found in the adjacent Savoie department. It consists of alternating layers of sliced potatoes, Beaufort cheese, and pieces of butter, with bouillon as the liquid.<ref name="larousse2003" /><ref>''Larousse Gastronomique'' (2https://www.madaboutmacarons.com/potato-gratin-savoyard/001)</ref> Cream is not used.<ref>{{cite web |last=Colonna |first=Jill |title=Potato Gratin Savoyard(Without Cream) |url=https://www.madaboutmacarons.com/potato-gratin-savoyard/ |website=Mad about Macrons |date=5 December 2025 |access-date=4 March 2026}}</ref>

====Funeral potatoes==== {{Main|Funeral potatoes}} Funeral potatoes is a similar dish consisting of hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheese (cheddar or Parmesan), onions, cream soup (chicken, mushroom, or celery) or a cream sauce, sour cream, and a topping of butter with corn flakes or crushed crackers or potato chips.<ref name=":1">{{cite book | last = Schechter | first = Harold | title = The Whole Death Catalog: A Lively Guide to the Bitter End | year = 2009 | publisher = Random House, Inc | isbn = 978-0-345-49964-6 | page = [https://archive.org/details/wholedeathcatalo0000sche/page/131 131] | url = https://archive.org/details/wholedeathcatalo0000sche/page/131 }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{citation |last=Cannon |first=Ann |title=Funeral foods should feature spuds, please |date=January 11, 2009 |newspaper=Deseret News |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705276685,00.html |access-date=October 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212200742/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705276685,00.html |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The dish has been associated with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because of its popularity among members of the church.

===Other preparations===

====Pasta==== thumb|A macaroni, cheese and meat gratin.|170px The Neapolitan dish ''pasta al gratin'' (also referred to as "pasta au gratin" in American English) may be made with various kinds of pasta, including penne, rigatoni, fusilli, macaroni, or tagliatelle. The pasta is cooked al dente, then covered with béchamel sauce, cheese (typically a mixture including scamorza, mozzarella or parmesan) and breadcrumbs, then baked.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pirollo |first1=Alessandro |title=Nonna's Neapolitan Pasta Au Gratin |url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/italian-dishes/grandmother-pasta-gratin |website=La Cucina Italiana |access-date=2 August 2022 |date=9 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ramsay |first1=Gordon |title=Pasta au gratin: grandmother's Neapolitan recipe |url=https://gordon-ramsay-recipe.com/recipes-of-italian-cuisine/pasta-au-gratin-grandmothers-neapolitan-recipe-italian-cuisine.html |website=Gordon Ramsay Recipes |access-date=2 August 2022 |date=17 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pasta al Gratin |url=https://blog.giallozafferano.it/ricetteditina/pasta-al-gratin/ |website=Le Ricette di Tina |date=12 October 2019 |access-date=2 August 2022 |language=it-IT}}</ref>

====Seafood==== ''Sole au gratin'' is a sole gratin, often covered with mushrooms. Many fish-based gratins use a white gratin sauce and cheese, and brown quickly. ''Cozze gratinate'' is a mussel-based recipe found in Italy.

''Janssons frestelse'' ("Jansson's temptation") is a Swedish gratin of potatoes, onions, and preserved fish, somewhat similar to a French dish of potatoes with anchovies.<ref>Julia Child, ''Mastering the Art of French Cooking'' I, 1961:154f "Gratin de pommes de terre aux anchois"</ref>

''Cod au gratin'' is a classic Newfoundland comfort food dish of cod baked in a creamy sauce and topped with cheese.

====Vegetable==== [[File:Avocado gratin.jpg|right|thumb|Avocado gratin.|170px]] ''Gratin Languedocien'' is made with eggplant and tomato, covered in breadcrumbs and oil, then browned. This dish is similar to the Italian dish known as ''melanzane alla parmigiana'' (eggplant parmesan). Other vegetables commonly used in gratin dishes include cauliflower,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cauliflower-gratin-recipe/index.html |title=Cauliflower Gratin Recipe |last=Garten |first=Ina |year=2004 |website=Barefoot Contessa |publisher=Food Network |access-date=2009-02-16}}</ref> spinach,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/spinach-gratin-recipe/index.html |title=Spinach Gratin Recipe |last=Garten |first=Ina |year=2001 |website=Barefoot Contessa Parties! |publisher=Food Network |access-date=2009-02-16}}</ref> and butternut squash.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-Gratin-with-Goat-Cheese-and-Hazelnuts-240412 |title=Spinach Gratin Recipe |last=Stevens |first=Molly |date=November 2007 |website=Bon Appétit |access-date=2009-02-16 |archive-date=2021-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214052105/https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/butternut-squash-gratin-with-goat-cheese-and-hazelnuts-240412 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|35em}}

{{Potato dishes}} {{Cheese dishes}} {{French cuisine}} {{Subject bar|portal1=Food|portal2=France|commons=yes|commons-search=Category:Gratin|wikt=yes}}

Category:Casserole dishes Category:French cuisine Category:Cuisine of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Category:Potato dishes Category:Baked foods