Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Unroll pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle rosemary, pepper, and ½ cup cheese over 1 pie crust; top with remaining crust. Press crusts together to seal around the edge.
Press on bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased 9" springform pan. Chill.
Meanwhile, wash and thinly slice the fingerling potatoes to about 5 cups. Dice ham and saute' about 5 minutes in a lightly oiled skillet (optional).
Layer one-third each of the potatoes and ham and salt in prepared crust. Sprinkle with ¼ cup cheese. Repeat layers twice, pressing layers down slightly to fit.
Microwave cream and garlic in a 1 cup microwave-safe measuring cup on high for 45 seconds. pour over potato layers in the pan. Sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup cheese. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 450 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 25 minutes or until potatoes are done and the crust is richly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Carefully transfer to a serving plate, and remove sides of springform pan.
Garnish with fresh sprig of rosemary, if desired.
Notes
(1) Original recipes calls for Gruyere cheese only, I have used ½ Gruyere and ½ Fontina and it was fabulous!
(2) Meat can be added for a main dish or left out for a side dish.
(3) Makes 8 to 10 side dish servings and 6 to 8 main dish servings.
(4) Use rosemary sparingly. A little bit goes a long way!
(5) Original recipe calls for a mix of Yukon gold and sweet potatoes. Great combination!
Recipe by Pray Cook Blog at https://praycookblog.com/mondays-meal-ham-and-potato-gratin/