Nat's Dad's Scalloped Potatoes

Nat's claimed that her dad makes the best scalloped potatoes in the universe. I have to say that we agree. It took only slightly longer than the kind that comes in a box and were fifty bajillion times better.

Pepper added by Joey - 3 shakes of a lambs tail

Ingredients
8 medium potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold), peeled and sliced 1/8th”
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion very thinly sliced
1 tsp butter (softened for the casserole surface)
¼ cup butter, kept hard and cut into very small nuggets (1/4”)
500 ml container of Half & Half Cream (and milk, as required)
ground white pepper (or black pepper, if preferred)
salt

1. Heat the oven to 325F.
2. Use the softened butter to rub the inside of the casserole dish. Also rub with the crushed garlic, ensuring to remove all the garlic and just leave the "flavour" on the dish.
3. Place the potato slices one-by-one in a spiral manner, starting with the outer perimeter, over-lapping them by half. Continue until no complete slices can fit into the middle.
4. Upon each completed layer, sprinkle the very thin onion slices and dot with the hard butter (cut into very small nuggets), then season lightly with the salt and pepper.
** add shredded cheese to each layer if you would like it to be au gratin.
5. Continue these steps for each layer until the dish is full.
6. Pour the cream very slowly all over the mixture and tilt the casserole gently to allow for even distribution.

***The potatoes should be only barely covered by the cream. Too much liquid will make for a soupy consistency; too little, and the top potatoes will get overcooked, dry and chewy.

7. Put the casserole onto a cookie sheet (lined with foil, to avoid a clean-up) and place it into the middle of the oven.
8. Cover and bake until potatoes are tender, about 60-70 minutes.
9. Let stand 5 to 10 minute before serving.