Tomato, Squash and Eggplant Tian

By mirelsonp

Recipe source: NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe, firm tomatoes, round or Roma, sliced thin
• 1 red torpedo onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 to 3/4 pound zucchini, preferably mixed green and yellow, sliced thin
• 1 long, thin eggplant, sliced thin (if all you can find is a bulbous eggplant, cut in half or in quarters and slice it thin)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus a few sprigs
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart rectangular or oval baking dish.

2. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil, chopped rosemary and thyme leaves and toss gently.

3. Arrange the vegetables in rows in the baking dish in this order: tomato slice, eggplant slice, tomato slice, squash slice, onion slice, tomato slice, eggplant slice, tomato slice, etc. Each slice of eggplant should have a tomato slice on either side. The vegetables should not be lying flat; they should be arranged in the dish as if you had stacked them, then lay the whole stack in the dish, all of the rounds slanting slightly to one side. Insert the herb sprigs into the dish. Pour any juice left in the bowl on top. Cover tightly with foil.

4. Place in the oven and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and lightly colored on the edges.

Advance preparation: You can assemble this and refrigerate for a day before baking, or bake a day or two before serving. Reheat in a medium oven or serve at room temperature.