Potato

A copper gratin dish or cast-iron skillet is ideal for roasting potatoes, but a rimmed baking sheet works equally well. To ensure the potatoes cook evenly, slice larger ones in half lengthwise and leave smaller ones whole.

Make sure to use at least a 5-quart saucepan so the oil won’t bubble over.

Because the potatoes are cooked and served whole, be sure to select those that are similar in size to ensure they cook evenly.

A Japanese or French mandoline is great for slicing vegetables uniformly—anywhere from very thin to thick—and takes much less time than slicing by hand with a knife.

For a less formal but equally appealing presentation, you can spoon rather than pipe the filling into the shells.

Using a mandoline to slice the potatoes is quick and easy. You can do so up to four hours ahead; to prevent browning, place matchsticks in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator until ready to use, then pat them dry with paper towels.

We used small potatoes for this recipe. If your potatoes are larger, adjust the cooking time.

To bake individual pies, use 6 10-ounce ramekins, and reduce cooking time to 20 to 30 minutes.

Garlic gives the dish a mellow flavor.

The potatoes must be parboiled so they will be done at the same time as the chicken.