A Potato Dish for Julia

Source: Judith Jones,  O Magazine, October 2009

2 new potatoes, 6 oz.

salt

4 tsp. butter

pepper

Peel potatoes, and slice very thin, 1/8 inch.  Peel and mince garlic, than mash it with a generous pinch of salt, with the flat side of a large knife until it is a paste.  (I used a mortar and pestle.)  Work in about 1/2 t. butter.

Heat 2 t. butter in a small pan (4.5 inch cast iron or other small frying pan) over medium-low heat; lay in half of the potato slices, overlapping slight, to fill the bottom. Lightly salt and pepper, and smear garlic paste on top.  Add rest of potatoes to make a second layer, again overlapping.

Cook, setting a small cover askew on top of pan.  After about 8 minutes, turn potatoes, which should be brown on the bottom, by setting a sturdy plate on top of pan and flipping them over onto it.  Heat rest of butter in pan, then slide potatoes back in and arrange them as neatly as you can.  Cook semi-covered for 5 minutes, and uncovered for a couple more minutes, at which point they should be done and browned, both top and bottom. (I had to cook a little longer on both sides and increase the heat just a bit).

Slide them onto a plate and serve with salt and pepper.