Sunchoke Gratin Recipe

This simple sunchoke gratin with Parmesan cheese is easy and sure to bring smiles at your table. Remember, sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes) are quite healthy and a good potato substitute.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sunchokes(Jerusalem artichokes)
• Salt
• An oven-to-table baking dish
• Butter for smearing and dotting the baking dish
• Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel the sunchokes and drop them in salted, boiling water. Cook them until they feel tender, but not mushy when prodded with a fork. Ten minutes after the water returns to a boil, check them frequently because they tend to go from very firm to very soft in a brief span of time. Drain when done, and as soon as they are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/2-inch slices.

Smear the bottom of a baking dish with butter, then place the sunchoke slices in it, arranging them so they overlap slightly, roof tile fashion. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the grated Parmesan, dot with butter and place the dish on the uppermost rack of the preheated oven. Bake until a light golden crust begins to form on top. Allow to settle for a few minutes out of the oven before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe Source: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan (Alfred A. Knopf)
Reprinted with permission.