Stage:
Teri and I just shared a Ratatouille from Potager Yvanhoe. We picked it up yesterday on 550 Route Campagna.
Let’s reverse-engineer it from the label and learn a bit more about this delicious use of harvested vegetables.
🌿 Crustless French Vegetable Gratin (Tian)
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchini (courgettes), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 2 medium eggplants (aubergines), sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 3–4 ripe tomatoes, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tsp dried oregano (or fresh if you have it)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Method
- Base layer (the “invisible crust”)
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan.
- Cook the onions slowly until soft and golden (about 10 minutes).
- Spread these onions over the bottom of a baking dish — this is your foundation instead of pastry.
- Prepare the vegetables
- Brush the zucchini, eggplant, and tomato slices lightly with olive oil.
- Season with salt, pepper, and half the oregano.
- Layering (the “tian” style)
- In the baking dish, alternate slices of zucchini, eggplant, and tomato vertically (like a fan or spiral), snugly packed.
- Sprinkle minced garlic in between layers for extra flavour.
- Cheese & seasoning
- Scatter the mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle Parmesan on last so it crisps up nicely.
- Add the rest of the oregano and a final drizzle of olive oil.
- Bake
- Bake uncovered at 375°F / 190°C for 35–40 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the cheese is golden brown.
- If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil and finish baking.
- Rest & serve
- Let it sit 10 minutes before cutting.
- Serve warm as a main vegetarian dish or as a side with roast chicken or fish.
✨ That’s it! It’s basically a ratatouille reborn as a gratin — hearty, rustic, and designed to show off the vegetables without needing a crust.
Method:
