This vegetable dish gets its name from the earthware cooking vessel it is cooked in that looks like a deep gratin pan. It is a delicious thing to do with the overabundance of vegetables that can happen in your garden. The veggies cook in their own tasty juices, which, through the baking process, reduce and caramelize leaving you with a wonderfully flavored dish.
- 1 large onion, halved & sliced
- 1-2 leeks, halved & sliced, white & light green parts only
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2-4 T olive oil, divided (The oil from the garlic confit is great in this)
- 1 eggplant, peeled, sliced 1/4″ thick & salted
- 3-4 Tomatoes, sliced 1/4″ thick
- ¼ C panko
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
- 2 T fresh basil, or 2 tsp dried
- 2 T freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
Saute the onion, leek (about 3 cups all together) in the 1-2 T olive oil until tender and starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Coat the bottom of a 9X13” pan with olive oil.
Top with ½ the onion mixture. Grind some pepper on top .
Rinse and pat the eggplant dry. Alternate slices of
tomato and eggplant on top.
You can make a second layer on top. The veggies will shrink when cooked.
Top with the remaining onion and some pepper. Cover and bake for about 20 minutes at 375°F.
Remove the cover and bake another 15 minutes or until the juices start to look syrupy. Combine the panko, garlic, herbs, parmesan and another 1 T oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove tian from oven.Top with crumb mixture.
Return to oven and bake until browned and juices are thickened about another 15 – 20 minutes. Serve & Enjoy. Great the next day too, if there’s any left.
Variation: use zucchini in place of or in addition to the eggplant.
