A classic comfort food casserole featuring sliced potatoes baked in a creamy white sauce, layered with sweet onion and chunks of savory ham.
Servings: 10
Author: Adapted from Best of Byerly's cookbook.
Ingredients
3 1/2poundsred potatoes
1 1/2cupchopped onionsuse sweet if available
3cupshamchopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2cup1 stick butter
1/4cupplus 1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1quart4 cups whole milk
1tablespoonsalt
1/4teaspoonpepper
2tablespoonsbuttermelted
1cupsoft bread crumbs
butter for greasing glass baking dish
Instructions
Peel and cut potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices (a mandoline slicer works great for this step.) Place immediately into cold salted water to cover potatoes.
Melt 1/2 cup butter in large saucepan; blend in flour. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in salt and pepper.
Drain potatoes thoroughly. Layer potatoes, onions, ham and white sauce alternately in a generously buttered glass 9 x 13 (or slightly larger) baking dish.
Combine 2 tablespoons melted butter and bread crumbs and sprinkle over potatoes. Cover securely with aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until potatoes can be easily pierced with fork and are nicely browned on top, about 45 additional minutes (for a total of 2 1/2 hours.)