This gratin is nothing original. And that’s exactly why it wins every time. When homemade mashed potatoes meet a well-made béchamel and go into the oven wrapped in turkey, the result far exceeds the effort.
Ingredients :
- Potatoes (900 g) — They form the heart of the roll and provide all the texture. Choose floury varieties like Bintje or Monalisa: they mash easily and absorb butter well. Waxy varieties remain lumpy even after mashing and give a mashed potato that’s hard to roll.
- Turkey ham (5 slices) — It acts as a structural wrap around the mash. Turkey holds up well during cooking without tearing like some thinner poultry hams. If you have a choice, pick thick slices — they roll better and don’t break during assembly.
- Butter + flour (20 g each) — This duo forms the roux, the base of the béchamel. The 1:1 balance is important: too much flour makes a pasty sauce, too much butter and it won’t set. Cook the roux for a good minute before adding the milk to completely eliminate the raw flour taste, which otherwise lingers in the aftertaste.
- Whole milk (30 cl) — It gives body and velvety texture to the béchamel. Semi-skimmed milk works but gives a less rich, less coating sauce. If you want more character, replace 5 cl with light cream — the sauce becomes noticeably more indulgent.
