Vegetable Tian

This casserole is full of flavorful veggies. Tians are a homey specialty of Provence made from seasonal vegetables. Variations abound. Don’t be afraid to add whatever veggies you might have. Use the recipe as a base and experiment by adding your favorite goodies.

Serves 6

4 Tbsp (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, rib removed, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, rib removed, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 small yam, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise on mandoline and cut into ¼-inch strips

1 small eggplant, thinly sliced, cut into ¼-inch strips

4–6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp (10 ml) or more chopped fresh herbs: marjoram, thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, mixed together

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 lbs (907 g) young, tender zucchini, cut into thin slices

2 lbs (907 g) medium ripe tomatoes, cut into thin slices

4 Tbsp (60 ml) flat-leaf parsley, finely cut

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil to medium. Lightly sauté the onions, peppers, yam, and eggplant. When softened, add half of the garlic and cook a few minutes longer. Season to taste with half of the herbs, salt, and pepper.
2. Place sautéed vegetables in baking dish. On top arrange the sliced zucchini and tomatoes in overlapping rows so that you see stripes of white-green, red, white-green, red, etc. Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, the remaining herbs, garlic, parsley, and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until top is slightly browned. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

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Vegetable tian is the Provençal bake that looks like a striped tapestry of zucchini and tomato. Underneath those tidy rows sits a sautéed base of onions, peppers, yam, and eggplant, fragrant with garlic and fresh herbs. It bakes until the top browns and the vegetables melt into one another.

Pro Tips

• Sauté the onion, pepper, yam, and eggplant base first. Raw vegetables under the striped top would release water and turn the tian soupy.
• Arrange the zucchini and tomato rows tightly and alternating — white-green, red, white-green, red. The tight packing is what keeps the rows standing after baking.
• Use young, tender zucchini. Large seedy ones release a lake of water that the striped top cannot hide.
• Save half the garlic and herbs for the raw top layer. Sprinkled over the rows with the last drizzle of oil, they perfume the crust instead of disappearing into the base.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make vegetable tian ahead of time?

It reheats beautifully at 350°F for fifteen minutes and is arguably better the next day, when the flavors have had time to marry.

Do I need to peel the eggplant?

No. The thin strips of skin hold their shape in the bake and give the base a little structure against the softer zucchini and tomato.

What herbs should I use in the tian?

Marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and Italian parsley are the mix here, and any combination of those keeps the dish authentically Provençal.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

Vegetable Tian

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Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, rib removed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, rib removed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 small yam, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise on mandoline and cut into ¼-inch strips
• 1 small eggplant, thinly sliced, cut into ¼-inch strips
• 4–6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp or more chopped fresh herbs: marjoram, thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, mixed together
• 2 lbs young, tender zucchini, cut into thin slices
• 2 lbs medium ripe tomatoes, cut into thin slices
• 4 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely cut

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil to medium. Lightly sauté the onions, peppers, yam, and eggplant.
2. When softened, add half of the garlic and cook a few minutes longer.
3. Season to taste with half of the herbs, salt, and pepper.
4. Place sautéed vegetables in baking dish. On top arrange the sliced zucchini and tomatoes in overlapping rows so that you see stripes of white-green, red, white-green, red, etc.
5. Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, the remaining herbs, garlic, parsley, and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
6. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until top is slightly browned.
7. Garnish with parsley.
8. Serve.

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