1 Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3. Slice the potatoes very thinly. Cover with the oil and add the thyme and grated garlic. Liberally season with salt and pepper and carefully mix everything together. Leave for 5 minutes to allow the potatoes to soften.
2 Take a baking tray, ideally something at least 10cm deep, and line it with parchment. Gently layer the potatoes (as if you were making a dauphinoise), carefully overlapping each slice to ensure a rigid lattice-like structure. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and cook for 35 minutes until soft (there should be no resistance when you pierce the potatoes with a knife).
3 Remove the tray from the oven and put a weight on top – another roasting tray or anything else that’s heavy. Allow it to cool completely – overnight if you can.
4 Turn out the potatoes and slice into 4cm x 10cm pieces.
5 Place a large frying pan on a medium heat and add a good glug of oil. Carefully shallow-fry the potato pieces, sliced layer-side down. Try not to push the pieces about in the pan to minimise any chance of them collapsing. Fry for about 3 minutes until crisp, then carefully turn and fry on the other sides.
6 Meanwhile, place a large frying pan on a medium-high heat. Add the butter and shallot and fry until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are tender. Season.
7 Put a pot of water on to boil and blanch the beans for 2-3 minutes, or until they are tender but not soft. Drain them and toss with the mushrooms.
8 To serve, place two or three potato pieces, a spoonful of goat’s curd or ricotta and a generous tumble of beans and mushrooms on each plate. Sprinkle over plenty of chopped parsley.
