Why You Need A Mandoline For Perfect Potato Pavé

One could fill a library wing with books about potatoes. Indeed, a search for "potato cookbook" on Bookshop yields upwards of 600 results, proving the versatility of the humble spud. One of its fancier applications is potato pavé or "paving stones" in French. Think of the relatively new dish — coined by Thomas Keller of the famed Nappa Valley restaurant The French Laundry — as a leveled-up version of scalloped potatoes. 

While the former is baked gratin-style in a casserole dish, pavé's thin slices are fashioned into neat rectangles or squares and kissed with heat on all sides to give the exterior a golden-brown hue and delicate crunch. In order to achieve those coveted, uniform slices, save yourself the knife work and spring for a mandoline instead. The tool makes it easy to turn out identical disks of potato in significantly less time than it takes to slice by hand. 

A mandoline (not to be confused with the musical instrument of the same name) may look like a scary tool reserved for professional chefs, but don't be scared by its ultra-sharp blade. It's essential for every home cook, though using it requires an abundance of caution. Most models allow you to adjust the space between the blade and the ridged base, making for even, custom slices. 

Simply hold the mandolin at a 45-degree angle and run the flat end of your potato or whatever other firm vegetable you wish to slice, along the blade. Before you get to slicing, however, it's very important to take some safety precautions. First, don't feel the need to slice at a rapid speed — you're not racing against the clock on "Top Chef." Second, don't forget to attach your mandolin's safety guard before slicing. If you don't have one of those, slip a cut-resistant glove on your slicing hand and thank us later. 

Back when chef Thomas Keller appeared on Martha Stewart's eponymous cooking show to make his famous potato pavé, he declared, "We're making a scalloped potato that's going to be shaped like a brick." Music to the ears of spud lovers, indeed. He went on to explain that the brick is chilled, sliced, and sauteed to golden-brown perfection. The final dish yields a delightful mix of textures — luxurious cream-soaked potatoes on the inside and crispiness on the outside. Perhaps best of all, it can be made up to two days in advance.

Keller takes three or four Russet potatoes and trims their edges off so they're flat on each side. With his mandoline, he slices the potatoes straight into a bowl of cream, salt, and pepper, coating them briefly before putting them in a lined baking dish. It's worth noting that Keller uses a Benriner mandoline. The Japanese model seems to be a favorite among chefs. Oh, and while they forgo it, both Keller and Stewart encourage the use of the mandoline's hand guard.