Loaded Baked Potato Galette

How many different ways can we load a potato with bacon, cheese and sour cream? That's really what I should call this blog (as evidenced here, here, and here, to name a few). When it comes to potatoes I have tried a lot of things, but my husband and I always reach the same conclusion: nothing beats the BCS (bacon, cheese, sour cream) combo. One of our favorite date nights is going to our favorite steakhouse and splitting the ribeye and loaded baked (+ wine + chopped salad + a loaf of bread). And every time the waitress brings the lazy susan full of potato toppings and asks us how much cheese, John says 'keep it coming. She's from Wisconsin.' Literally every time. 

He's right though! Keep it coming. Anyway, for blogging and dinner party purposes I can't always just make loaded baked potatoes. I have to get creative. So I load them all sorts of different ways. This way was awesome, and cool-looking, making it dinner party worthy. 

Recipe

• 6 large russet baking potatoes, peeled
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1 cup light sour cream 
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• S&P

Slice potatoes into thin rounds, as thin as you can...about 1/8 inch thick.  Place in a bowl, and sprinkle with tablespoon salt. This will help draw out excess water. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375.  Drain potatoes and pat dry with a towel.  Grease whatever your baking dish of choice is...I found a spring form pan to work perfectly, but a pie or round cake pan could work too.  Mix the sour cream, milk and tsp olive oil in a bowl. Pat the potatoes dry again and toss them in melted butter in another bowl.

Next, layer the potatoes. This will create three layers of potatoes, with sour cream, bacon and cheese in between.  Lay the first layer of potatoes down, overlapping each potato to create one thin layer of potatoes. I started on the outside and layered in. Generously salt and pepper. Spread half of the sour cream on the potatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Next add 1/3 of the bacon. Add the next layer of potatoes with S&P, followed with the remaining sour cream, another 1/2 cup cheese, and 1/3 bacon.  Add the final layer of potatoes and salt and pepper. We'll add the remaining 1 cup cheese and bacon towards the end (no sour cream on this layer).  Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Stick a fork in to make sure potatoes are fork tender, baking a bit longer if needed. Top with remaining cheese and bacon, and bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool for at least ten minutes before slicing. Serve with more sour cream, of course.