We picked our first summer tomato out of the garden and grabbed some zucchini and summer squash from the farm. These ingredients make one of the most beautiful dishes I have in my repertoire. This Summer Vegetable Tian will impress your friends and family. It’s not nearly as hard to make as it looks. This is what summer vegetables are all about.
The Tian starts with a base layer of sautéed onion and garlic. Add a little salt and pepper, and some Italian seasoning, and spread it in the bottom of your pan. I use a Pyrex round glass baking dish so you can see all of the colors easily. From a presentation standpoint, I just think it looks the best.
To make the pattern on top, you need tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, and potatoes. The potatoes end up being key here. They help keep the moisture in check and really hold it all together. Thinly slice your vegetables using a sharp knife or mandoline. I usually use the mandoline for everything but the tomatoes. Mine has a guard on it, so I don’t need to worry about taking off a finger! The thicker you cut your vegetables, the more time it will need to cook.
Baking
Once you have the vegetables laid out, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. Then cover in foil and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and check the vegetables. The potatoes should be soft, and the vegetables look cooked through. If your slices are thicker, or you packed it really tight, you might need an extra 10 minutes.
Cheese
When the vegetables are tender and cooked, you want to take the foil off and add the cheese. I have used fresh mozzarella, Italian shredded cheese mix, or Parmesan. The Parmesan will add a little salt and brown up really nicely. I often use a mix of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. But you could use any white Italian cheese and it would taste great! Or if you like the way it looks, and want to skip the cheese, your Summer Vegetable Tian will be just as good.
| This recipe is part of our Summer Vegetable Week |
Summer Vegetable Tian
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Medium Zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 Medium Yellow Squash, thinly sliced
- 1 Large Yukon Gold or Red Potato, thinly sliced
- 3-4 Medium Roma Tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning, divided
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ½ cup Shredded Italian Cheese Blend
Instructions
- Sauté onions and garlic in a pan over medium heat until just translucent
- Add 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning and a little salt and pepper, mix and then remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Using a mandolin or sharp knife thinly slice the remaining vegetables
- Lightly spray a large pie pan or baking dish with oil and spread the onion and garlic mixture evenly around the bottom of the pan
- Alternate the vegetables around the edge of the baking dish and then continue moving inwards until the dish is full
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the remaining Italian Seasoning
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then check to see if the veggies are cooked through, they may need an extra 5 or 10 minutes depending on the thickness
- Remove the foil and top with the Italian Cheese Blend, then place back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned slightly
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving
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