Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter and oil.

Brush bottom of a 9-10 inch baking dish with some butter and oil mixture. Set aside.

Peel the potatoes. slice each potato very thinly(as thin as possible) crosswise using a sharp knife or mandoline, keeping the potato intact as you proceed.

* Keep the slices together as you cut them so that you can arrange them easily in the dish.

Place the potatoes vertically in the prepared baking dish.

Wedge onion or shallot slices throughout potato slices - in about 3 or 4 sections of each potato.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper flakes.

Brush with the remaining butter and oil mixture.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes uncovered.

If you find at anytime throughout baking that the potatoes are too dry, a little of the olive oil/butter from the bottom of the baking dish can be brushed on the slices.

While potatoes are baking, fry bacon over a medium high heat until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Remove potatoes from oven.

Add bacon bits by scattering around throughout the potatoes.

Lay the thyme sprigs/leaves on top of potatoes.

Bake for an additional 35 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through with a crisped top.

If it seems to brown too fast, cover it with foil to slow it down.

Remove from oven.

Sprinkle on a little more kosher salt. Serve immediately.