Pommes Anna or potatoes Anna is a Fresh potato casserole dish with a beautiful arrangement. Though traditionally made with white potatoes, our recipe uses subtly sweet parsnip and two types of sweet potato to improve on both the health benefits and the presentation. Once you get the hang of the layers, you’ll have a go-to dinner party dish that will impress everyone.
All three of these root veggies bring something to the table in terms of health benefits. Parsnip and sweet potatoes are both good sources of fiber, which can feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut and ease digestive issues. [1-3] They’re also great sources of antioxidants, which can help protect against some chronic diseases, like cancer. [4,5] Purple sweet potatoes are particularly high in anthocyanins, which may have anti-inflammatory properties and support vision health. [6,7]
TIPS:
- The first layer of this dish will end up being the presentation side, so keep that in mind when layering your slices. Larger rounds will look better around the edge of the pan, with smaller rounds in the middle.
- To make the layers more even, alternate where you start. For instance, the first layer begins from the center, so the second layer should start from the edges, and so on.
- Use a pie plate and some pie weights in Step 7 if you have them. They are helpful in keeping the pommes Anna compact for cooking and slicing. If not, you can oil the bottom of a slightly smaller pan and gently press down on the potatoes before and after baking in the oven.
- Make a bite-sized version of this pommes Anna by layering the sweet potato and parsnip slices in an oiled muffin tin instead of the skillet.
- Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) omissions and substitutions are listed in the recipe ingredients.
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References:
- Anderson JW, Baird P, Davis Jr RH, Ferreri S, Knudtson M, Koraym A, et al. Health benefits of dietary fiber. Nutrition Reviews [Internet]. 2009 Apr 1;67(4):188–205. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/67/4/188/1901012
- Parsnips, raw [Internet]. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture ; 2019 [cited 2024 Nov 27]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170417/nutrients
- Sweet potatoes, orange flesh, without skin, raw [Internet]. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture ; 2022 [cited 2024 Nov 27]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2346404/nutrients
- Jelic M, Mandic A, Maricic S, Srdjenovic B. Oxidative stress and its role in cancer. Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics. 2019;0(0):0. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33723127/
- Merlin JPJ, Rupasinghe HPV, Dellaire G, Murphy K. Role of Dietary Antioxidants in p53-Mediated Cancer Chemoprevention and Tumor Suppression. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity [Internet]. 2021 Jun 26 [cited 2021 Dec 13];2021:9924328. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8257365/
- Sugata M, Lin CY, Shih YC. Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Activities of Taiwanese Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatasL. Lam) Extracts. BioMed Research International [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2020 Jan 28];2015:1–10. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4609785/
- Sun M, Lu X, Hao L, Wu T, Zhao H, Wang C. The influences of purple sweet potato anthocyanin on the growth characteristics of human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Food & Nutrition Research [Internet]. 2015 Jan [cited 2020 Jan 28];59(1):27830. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4464420/
Sweet Potato Pommes Anna
- Recipe by: Andrea Dehnke
- Serves: 6
- Meal: Side
- Serves: 6
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb orange sweet potato, peeled
1 lb purple sweet potato, peeled
1 lb parsnip
4 garlic cloves
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh sage, minced
1 tsp black pepper (AIP - omit or sub)
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Use a mandoline to slice sweet potatoes and parsnip into ⅛ʺ-thick rounds or thinner. Pat slices dry with a paper towel. Cut garlic cloves into paper-thin slices.
Heat an 8- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, brushing bottom and sides with olive oil.
Make a single layer of sweet potato and parsnip slices on the bottom of the skillet, starting with first piece in the middle. Create concentric circles by overlapping the rounds, alternating between orange sweet potato, parsnip, and purple sweet potato.
Brush layer with olive oil and top with ¼ of the garlic slices, ½ teaspoon sage, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all sweet potatoes and parsnip are added to skillet, switching the direction of overlapping circles with each layer. Occasionally shake skillet to keep rounds from sticking.
Cover skillet with foil and set a heavy, oven-safe plate on top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and plate and continue baking until top is crispy and potatoes are cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
Let cool for about 10 minutes. Use a knife to loosen around the edges, then invert onto a plate. Sprinkle with parsley and cut into wedges to serve.
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