Classic Tian Style Ratatouille
Thin rounds of eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomato shingled into a spiral over a garlicky pepper-tomato sauce, sprinkled with herbs and roasted until silky and caramelized at the edges. Beautiful enough to serve straight out of the dish.
Equipment
- Oval or round baking dish (9x13 or similar)
- Mandoline or sharp knife (for thin, even slices)
- Blender or food processor (for sauce)
- Small saucepan
- Cutting board and chef's knife
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp 15g olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced (about 100g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 9g)
- 1 red bell pepper chopped (about 150g)
- 1 can 14 oz / 400g crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp 0.5g dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the tian:
- 1 medium eggplant sliced into thin rounds (about 350g)
- 2 zucchini sliced into thin rounds (about 400g / 200g each)
- 2 yellow summer squash sliced into thin rounds (about 400g / 200g each)
- 2 –3 Roma tomatoes sliced into thin rounds (about 250g)
- 2 tbsp 25g olive oil, for drizzling
- 1½ tsp 1.5g dried thyme or herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red bell pepper, cook 5 minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes and thyme, simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then blend until smooth.
- Spread the sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Slice the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes into thin, even rounds, about ⅛ inch thick.
- Starting from the outer edge of the dish, stand the vegetable slices on their edge in alternating order, working in a spiral toward the center until the dish is fully shingled.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes more, until vegetables are tender and edges are lightly caramelized.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
A mandoline makes quick, even work of the slicing and keeps the spiral looking clean; its worth pulling out for this one. Tian holds well in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheats nicely in the oven. Swap in yellow squash for more of the zucchini if that's what's on hand but know that the ratio isn't precious.