Description
A beautifully layered Vegetable Tian featuring tender slices of eggplant, zucchini, red onion, and tomato, baked with garlic, tomato paste, and herbs for a flavorful and visually stunning Mediterranean-inspired dish. Perfect as a hearty side or a light main course.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 eggplant (aubergine), cut in half lengthways then sliced 8mm (0.3”) half moons (~380g / 13.5oz)
- 3 zucchini (courgette), sliced into 6mm (0.25”) rounds (~180g / 6oz each)
- 3 red onion, sliced into 3mm (0.1”) rounds (~140g / 5oz each)
- 5 tomato, sliced into 5mm (0.2”) rounds (~140g / 5oz each)
Seasonings & Oils
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or half for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F), or 180°C (fan-forced). This ensures a hot environment for baking your vegetable tian evenly.
- Sweat eggplant and zucchini: Toss the sliced eggplant and zucchini in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place them in a colander over a bowl and allow to sweat for about 10 minutes. This technique helps draw out excess moisture to prevent sogginess.
- Prepare the baking dish: Spread 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the tomato paste, and half of the minced garlic evenly over the base of a 30cm x 20cm x 5cm (12″ x 8″ x 2″) ceramic baking dish. This forms a rich savory base as the vegetables release their juices while baking.
- Season eggplant and zucchini again: Shake the colander to remove excess water from the eggplant and zucchini slices—they will have lost some salt with the moisture—then return them to a bowl and toss with an additional 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Layer the vegetables: Arrange the vegetables vertically in the baking dish, alternating between eggplant, zucchini, red onion, and tomato in this order. Pack them tightly in neat rows (around 14 rows) to help the vegetables maintain an upright shape as they shrink while cooking.
- Season the top: Drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly over the arranged vegetables. Sprinkle with the remaining minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and herbes de Provence to infuse the top layer with aromatic flavors.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes. The vegetables should become tender with lightly browned edges, creating a delicious medley of textures and flavors.
- Serve: Serve the Vegetable Tian immediately hot, or allow it to cool to room temperature before serving as a flavorful side or light main dish.
Notes
- Using a mandolin slicer for the onions helps achieve even thickness and consistent cooking.
- Sweating the eggplant and zucchini with salt effectively reduces excess moisture and bitterness.
- Packing the vegetables tightly in vertical rows helps them keep an attractive presentation after baking despite shrinkage.
- The tomato paste base mixes with released vegetable juices creating a rich, savory sauce underneath the layered vegetables.
- This dish can be served warm or at room temperature, making it versatile for various occasions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
