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Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | October 10, 2019 18 Comments

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Last updated on April 15th, 2020

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)(Updated with video.) Shall we learn a couple of French nouns today? Good. Pomme (de terre) is a potato.  Anna is…well, not exactly the “girl next door.” We’ll discuss Anna’s scandalous (and extraordinarily-busy) past in just a moment. First, let me assure you that Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna) is a side dish par excellence!

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)I’m referring to the famous French “cake” that contains just four ingredients: thinly sliced potatoes, melted butter, and salt and pepper.  Cooked briefly on the stove top and finished off in a hot oven, Pommes Anna has a crisp, potato-chip-like exterior, and a soft and creamy interior. It’s beautiful to serve, and unfathomably delicious to eat.

If you have fresh chives in your garden, you can do what I did in the video above (please watch!), and sprinkle the minced herb between the potato layers. Chives offer an extra layer of “ooh-la-la.”

The “Anna” of Pommes Anna

Anna DeslionsPommes Anna was invented in the mid-19th century by chef Adolphe Dugléré, at the famed Café des Anglais in Paris. Dugléré named his creation for Anna Deslions, a prostitute who, over the span of her career, “entertained” 3 kings, 12 emperors, 18 princes, 34 dukes, 2 princesses and an assortment of actresses in the cafe’s private upstairs dining room.

And you thought you had a busy schedule.

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)

minced chives To start, grab a bunch of chives, and finely mince them.

butter in bowl

Then drop 6 tablespoons of butter into a large glass bowl, and heat them in the microwave until they melt — about 45 seconds. (Or, melt the butter in a small saucepan, and pour the works into a large bowl.)

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)Now peel 3 large (3 pounds) Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes…

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna) slicing potatoes in food processorAnd cut them into slices not more than 1/8th-inch thick. You can slice the spuds on the slicing disk of a food processor, just as I did when I first made this recipe in 2016.  Or, use a mandolin, as illustrated in the video up top.

No picture of this next step, because yours truly forgot to take one: Tip the potatoes into the melted butter, and toss to coat.

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)Now obtain a heavy, oven-proof, 10-inch-diameter non-stick skillet. Or, do what I did today, and use a well-seasoned, 10-inch diameter cast-iron skillet.

pommes anna with chives 6 spray with Pam 9-04-16As anti-sticking-insurance, I sprayed the bottom and sides of my cast-iron subject with — gasp! — non-stick vegetable spray. A non-stick pan will not require this extra treatment.

safflower oil going into skilletWhatever skillet you use, add 1/4 cup of neutral-tasting vegetable oil (organic safflower for me), and swirl the pan to coat the bottom.

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)Fish out 4 of your prettiest potato slices, and arrange them, in overlapping fashion, in the center of the pan.

potato layer for pommes annaThen overlap other attractive slices in a clockwise circle that extends all the way to the edge of the skillet. We’re being fussy about the arrangement of this first layer, because it will be on-view when we unmold our Pommes Anna.

seasoning the potatoesSprinkle the first layer with a pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, and — if you are using them –a flourish of minced chives.

Working counter-clockwise now, arrange a second layer of potatoes, and dust these, too, with salt, pepper, and minced chives.  Place your less-attractive potato pieces in the center of the circle.

Continue layering the potatoes in alternating circles, dusting all but the top layer with salt, pepper, and chives. I ended up with about 8 layers in my skillet.

use an 8 or 9 inch cake pan to press down on the potatoesNow set the skillet over a medium-low flame on the stove top.  When the oil starts to sizzle, push down on the potatoes with a 9-inch cake pan or pie plate. Move the cake pan around, so that all potatoes become slightly compressed.

cover pot and let cook for exactly 10 minutesCover the skillet, and cook, over medium-low heat, for exactly 10 minutes. (Set your timer!) Meanwhile, center the oven rack, and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Remove the lid, and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake until the potatoes are definitely tender when pierced with a knife — about 30 minutes.

No picture of this next, vital step, because it is a 2-handed affair: While holding the handle of the pan with one mitted hand, and while holding the cake pan over the potatoes with your other hand, tilt the skillet over the kitchen sink to drain off excess fat.

unmolding potatoes annaHere comes the fun part! Set a serving plate or platter over the skillet…

Say 3 Hail Marys…

potatoes anna unmoldedAnd invert the two. If your pan was indeed non-stick (the reason I used vegetable spray), the cake will unmold without a hitch. You’re looking at Pomme Anna perfection, baby.

Cut the cake into 8 equal pieces…

pommes anna serving suggestionAnd serve each piece with…whatever you are having for lunch or dinner. For lunch today, I served my Pommes Anna with a sauteed ham steak, hot, buttered haricot verts, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The dish will give even a humble hamburger a touch of class.

One final note. Pommes Anna can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. Consequently it is perfect for picnics, pot-lucks, and any dinner party at which kings, dukes, princes, and Hollywood types are present.  Do me proud and make this show-stealing side-dish, okay?

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And here’s the printable:

Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)

Crispy outside, soft and creamy inside, this French classic makes a crowd-pleasing side dish.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Keyword: potatoes, cake, easy,
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup neutral-tasting vegetable oil (i.e., safflower)
  • Seasonings: kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • Optional: fresh, finely-minced chives -- about 1/3 cup

Instructions

  • Put the potato slices in a large bowl, and toss them with the melted butter. Then pour the vegetable oil into a well-seasoned, 10-inch-diameter cast iron skillet (or oven-proof non-stick skillet), and swirl to coat the bottom. In the center of the skillet, arrange 4 potato slices in an overlapping circle. Arrange more slices in a clockwise, overlapping circle that extends to the skillet's edge. Dust this first layer with a pinch each of the salt, pepper, and (optional) chives. Working counter-clockwise, arrange another overlapping layer of potatoes, seasonings, and chives. Continue layering the potatoes in alternating circles, dusting all but the final layer with the seasonings and chives. When you are finished, you will have 6 or more potato layers in your skillet.
  • Set the skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil begins to sizzle (listen carefully!), press down on the potatoes with an 8- or 9-inch-diameter cake pan to compress them slightly. Then cover the skillet and cook, still over medium-low heat, for exactly 10 minutes. Meanwhile, center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • Remove the lid, and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer -- about 30 minutes. Then, while holding the handle of the skillet with your mitted hand, and while holding the cake pan over the potatoes with your other hand, tilt the skillet over the kitchen sink (or a bowl) to drain off excess fat.
  • Place a carving board or serving platter over the skillet, and invert the two to unmold. Then cut the cake into 8 equal servings. Delicious hot, warm, or at room temperature.
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Comments

  1. 1

    Carolyn D Contois says

    October 13, 2019 at 9:19 am

    Will do, your Majesty!!!

  2. 2

    shirley welch says

    October 13, 2019 at 9:36 am

    5 stars
    My family loves this recipe ~ thanks for sharing

  3. 3

    Angie says

    October 13, 2019 at 10:52 am

    3 Thank you Kevin. I make fried potatoes often but this will be much more appealing and less time standing over the stove. I’m making this tonight.

  4. 4

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    October 13, 2019 at 10:56 am

    Hi Carolyn – Ha ha!

    Hi Shirley – So glad this recipe worked out for you. Thanks for the 5 stars!

    Hi Angie – Let me know how the dish turns out for you!

  5. 5

    Barbara says

    October 13, 2019 at 12:02 pm

    Can one use sweet potatoes for this dish: it looks SOOO delicious, but what if one shouldn’t eat white potatoes?

  6. 6

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    October 13, 2019 at 12:46 pm

    Hi Barbara – Wish I had an answer for you. I’ve only made the dish as intended — with white potatoes!

  7. 7

    Cindi N says

    October 13, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    5 stars
    AMAZING!! It came out perfect!!…

  8. 8

    Tom says

    October 13, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    5 stars
    Kevin you crack me up! And the potatoes are awesome!

  9. 9

    Judy Hines says

    October 13, 2019 at 4:44 pm

    This looks so delicious and I have a mandolin but still, knowing me, I don’t think I can get the slices as thin as yours. Will try!

  10. 10

    Sherry Burke says

    October 13, 2019 at 5:24 pm

    5 stars
    What a delicious way to have potatoes. I have only seen this in the best restaurants. Now my family will enjoy it at home.

  11. 11

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    October 13, 2019 at 7:46 pm

    Hi Cindi N – So happy. Thanks for the 5 star review!

    Hi Tom – Thank you!

    Hi Judy – Your mandolin should be able to manage 1/8-inch-thick slices. Let me know how the recipe turns out for you!

    Hi Sherry Burke – And the best part? The dish is actually easy to make!

  12. 12

    Jeanne White says

    October 13, 2019 at 9:51 pm

    I have no chives but everything else including a mandoline. I will give this a try.

  13. 13

    Deborah McCowan says

    October 14, 2019 at 3:19 am

    Looks fabulous, I can almost smell the butter and chives!

  14. 14

    Deborah says

    October 14, 2019 at 3:22 am

    Looks delicious. I can almost smell the chives and butter

  15. 15

    Jean says

    October 14, 2019 at 10:03 am

    Love it, and thanks for the history as well!

  16. 16

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    October 14, 2019 at 11:30 am

    Hi Jeanne White – Feel free to omit the chives!

    Hi Deborah – Enjoy!

    Hi Jean – Glad you enjoyed the back-story. Let me know how the dish turns out for you!

  17. 17

    Lynn says

    October 14, 2019 at 8:24 pm

    Looks absolutely delicious. Going to give my new Japanese mandoline a workout!

    Can I recommend a microplane cut resistant glove for use with the mandoline. They’re absolutely brilliant at protecting your hand and make mandoline use soooooo easy.

  18. 18

    bette says

    December 22, 2020 at 8:13 pm

    Hi Kevin. I decided to make this recipe but before I do I would like to know what brand mandoline you have. I ask as the one I have catches the food underneath the unit so it does not slice completely and I want to replace it. Do you like yours? Thanks!

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