People often think that French cuisine is very complicated, asking for tens of ingredients. While there are plenty of recipes that do require that, this and many other dishes prove that there are simple and truly unforgettable recipes in French cuisine that require almost nothing in terms of ingredients and preparation. One of these dishes is this recipe for Pommes Anna.

As with every dish, there are several stories, and Pommes Anna is no exception. Although some stories claim that the dish was created elsewhere, the general consensus still holds that this recipe was born in Paris during the 1800s and was named after a Parisian courtesan, Anna Deslions. As with the place of its origin, there is also confusion regarding the person after whom it was named, with some suggesting that it was not this Anna but Anna, the wife of a French aristocrat.

1 kg peeled potatoes
100 g salted butter, melted*
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt if needed more

some more rosemary leaves to top

Heat the oven to 220°C. Use a cast iron or any other good pan with a diameter of around 27-30 cm (I use this pan, which I believe is the best for this and for tarte tatin).

Slice the potatoes very thinly and place them directly into cold water. Once done, rinse the sliced potatoes well under cold water and dry them thoroughly. (I like to use special towels that I have set aside solely for these kinds of tasks.)

Add 2-3 tablespoons of butter to the pan and brush it over the bottom and sides.

Starting from the outside, layer the sliced potatoes, finishing in the centre. Brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with 1 tsp of rosemary and some freshly grated nutmeg. If your butter is salted, you do not need to add salt; if not, sprinkle salt at this point.

Repeat the process two more times, for a total of 3 layers, finishing with all the remaining butter, rosemary leaves, and a touch of salt.

Top with a double layer of baking paper and press down.

Place in the oven, one level below the middle, and cook for 1 hour to achieve a golden finish. For a more browned and crispy result, cook for a bit longer. Take it out, place a plate on top, and flip over. Carefully remove the plate and serve immediately.

If you can not get salted butter, use unsalted and add more salt during the process.