Papas al Gratin

Coat tomatillos and chilies with olive oil and roast for 10-15 minutes in oven.

When roasted, stick chilies in a plastic bag to steam so it’s easier to peel them.

Once the chilies are steamed, peel skins and remove seeds/stem.

In a food processor or blender, puree everything except potatoes and queso blanco rallado.

Thinly slice potatoes.

Start with coating the inside of the dish with a thin layer of puree. Layer potatoes and sauce, covering dish tightly with aluminum foil when finished. You’ll want to keep the sauce fairly thin during this process.

Bake covered at 375F for 45 minutes, then uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is melted and golden.

NOTE- I chose queso blanco rallado because several au gratin recipes in Spanish called for it. I don’t speak Spanish and so don’t know what it’s called in English. It looks kind of like Parmesan cheese, except it melts better. The dish in the restaurant had a more stringy cheese (mozzarella consistency) on top. If anyone knows what kind of cheese that is, I’d love to know. This cheese does pair well with the dish, though.