Cast Iron Pommes Anna

Preheat the oven to 350°F and brush the surface and inside walls of a No.8 Field Skillet with butter.

Working with 1 potato at a time, use a mandoline to slice the potato into very thin rounds. Starting at the outer edge of the skillet, overlap the largest potato slices in a circle, then repeat with the smaller slices to make a concentric circle inside the outer one. At this point, you should have an even layer of potatoes covering the entire bottom of the skillet. Brush the top of the potatoes with butter and season generously with salt and pepper.

Repeat to make a second layer of potatoes. Brush the second layer with butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat to make a third and fourth layer of potatoes. When you’ve finished the fourth layer, butter and season the top, then cut a round of parchment paper to fit over the top, brush the paper with butter, and lay on top of the potatoes.

Place the skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to sizzle around the edges of the potatoes, which will take a few minutes, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, leaving the parchment paper on top of the potatoes, and press down firmly with a spatula (or another Field Skillet) to compress the potatoes and make sure the bottom browns evenly. If it looks like the potatoes have absorbed most of the butter, drizzle some more butter around the perimeter of the skillet.

Remove the parchment and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake the potatoes until very tender throughout when pierced with a knife, 30 minutes or longer (depending on the thickness and variety of your potatoes). Remove the skillet from the oven and pour out any excess butter. Place the parchment on top of the potatoes and press down firmly to compact the layers once again. Remove the parchment and let the potatoes cool in the skillet for at least 15 minutes, or until the skillet is cool enough to handle.

To unmold the potatoes, run a rubber spatula around the perimeter of the potatoes to loosen them from the skillet, then give the skillet a good shake; the whole mass of potatoes should slide easily (if it doesn’t, run the spatula under the potatoes until they release). Invert a serving plate on top of the skillet, then carefully turn the skillet over to unmold the potatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature; rewarm in a 300°F oven.