Christmas Au Gratin Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

5 cups baking potatoes, sliced thin (¼ inch or thinner) about 4-5 medium potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large onion, sliced thin (¼ inch or thinner)
4 ounces uncured pancetta, cubed (or 5 slices bacon)
3 tablespoon flour
2 cups half & half
2 cup (6 ounces) shredded Gruyere Cheese, divided
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped fresh Parsley, reserve a little for topping
½ cup chopped chives
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Scrub potatoes and cut out any impurities. Slice potatoes thinly with a mandoline. Make sure they are ¼ thickness or thinner.
In a skillet, melt olive oil and 1 tablespoon. Add sliced onions and cook on low heat until translucent, about 10 min.
Remove onions from the pan and place in a small bowl until ready to assemble potatoes. Add pancetta to skillet and cook until cooked through about 8-10 min.
In a saucepan melt the remaining butter and whisk in flour. Let bubble for 1-2 minutes on med heat.
Whisk in half & half
When the sauce is smooth, add 1 ½ cups of the Gruyere cheese, garlic powder, salt, parsley, pancetta, and chives (if you want to top potatoes with pancetta and parsley, reserve a little bit for topping).
Grease a 9x13 pan or small cast iron skillet. Place potatoes standing up. Top with onions and divide them between the potatoes. Top with pancetta.
Pour sauce over. Slightly shift the potatoes to help cream evenly distribute and coat the potatoes. You want sauce in between each potato.
Top with pepper and ½ cup remaining cheese.
Bake covered with foil at 400 degrees F for 25 mins. Uncover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked through and cheese is bubbly. Add any bacon or chives you reserved. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.