Entree: France – French Riviera – Tian de Légumes (Provençal layered baked vegetable casserole)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Additional
5 min
Total
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, reserved for drizzling
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 8 oz / 225 g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 6 g)
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, firm, sliced 1/4 inch (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (about 4 oz / 115 g)
- 1 tsp (1 g) herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp (5 g) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Gruyère or Comté cheese
- 2 tbsp (10 g) fresh breadcrumbs (optional for texture)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar (optional, for finishing)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; sauté the sliced onion until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more; remove from heat.
2. Lightly oil a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) baking dish or traditional tian dish with 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil. Spread the sautéed onion and garlic evenly across the bottom.
3. Arrange the sliced vegetables in overlapping vertical rows (tomato, zucchini, eggplant, pepper) or in a spiral, packing snugly. Sprinkle herbes de Provence, salt and pepper evenly over the top.
4. Drizzle 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil over the arranged vegetables, scatter thyme sprigs, and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil, sprinkle grated Gruyère (and breadcrumbs if using) evenly, return to oven and bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until vegetables are tender and cheese is golden and bubbling.
6. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired, discard thyme stems, and serve warm as a rustic Provençal entrée.
