Layered Eggplant, Zucchini ana Tomato Casserole

By blum099

This is a lightened take on
the countless zucchini-tomatoeggplant
casseroles created by
home cooks to use up summer
produce. Instead of layering
cheese and bread crumbs with
raw vegetables, FOOD (9 WINE's
Marcia Kiesel roasts the zucchini
and eggplant first, concentrating
their flavors. Then she layers the
roasted vegetables with sauteed
tomatoes, feta and bread crumbs.
Baking the casserole creates an
irresistible crust on top.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing
• 3 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds), sliced
• lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
• 2 long, narrow eggplants (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and
• sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
• Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1/3 cup panko or coarse dry
• bread crumbs

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 31mins

Preparation

Step 1

1 Preheat the oven to 425°. Oil 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Put the zucchini slices on one sheet and the eggplant on the other. Brush the slices all over with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the
slices on each sheet in a slightly overlapping layer. Bake for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
2 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook over high heat until slightly softened and bubbling, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
3 Oil a large, shallow baking dish (about 15 by 10 inches). Lay half of the eggplant in the dish and spread one-fourth of the tomatoes on top. Scatter with half of the feta and basil. Layer half of the zucchini on
top, followed by another one-fourth of the tomatoes and the remaining basil, eggplant and zucchini. Top with the remaining tomatoes and feta.
Mix the panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 20 minutes, until bubbling and crisp. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot or warm.