Vegetable tian


Vegetable tian
A tian is a slow-cooked Mediterranean dish. It consists mainly of sliced vegetables packed in vertical rows and baked in the oven.

This version, inspired by Isabelle's, is boosted with a little grilled ham and cheese.
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Last modified on: September 23th 2020
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For 8 people, you will need:
  • 1 courgette 4 courgettes
  • 2 egg-plants or aubergine 2 egg-plants or aubergine
  • 3 tomato 4 tomatoes
  • 4 cheese 100 g cheese
  • 5 smoked ham 4 slices smoked ham
  • 6 onion 2 onions
  • 7 olive oil 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) 50 g Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano)
  • 9 breadcrumbs 30 g breadcrumbs
  • 10 salt salt
  • 11 pepper pepper
  • Total weight: 2,445 grams

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Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 1 min.
Cooking: 1 hour 15 min.
All in all: 2 hours 15 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - ⌛ 10 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 1
Prepare 4 courgettes and slice.

Set aside.

Note: For the "vegetable" element of this recipe, there is a lot of slicing to do, so a mandolin is the ideal tool.

Stage 2 - ⌛ 10 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 2
Rinse 2 egg-plants or aubergines and cut in half lengthways, then slice.

It is good to use a mix of different types of aubergine, if you can get them (classic dark and smaller violet ones shown in the photo).

Stage 3 - ⌛ 7 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 3
Rinse and remove the hard stalk end from 4 tomatoes, then slice.

Stage 4 - ⌛ 5 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 4
Thinly slice 100 g cheese (I am using Morbier here).

Set aside.

Stage 5 - ⌛ 2 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 5
Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).

Arrange 4 slices smoked ham on a sheet of cooking parchment laid on a baking sheet.

Stage 6 - ⌛ 5 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 6
Grill in the oven for 4 or 5 minutes.

Leave the oven on.

Stage 7 - ⌛ 2 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 7
Cut into strips.

set aside.

Stage 8 - ⌛ 5 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 8
Prepare 2 onions and slice thinly.

Stage 9 - ⌛ 1 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 9
Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil into a saucepan on medium heat and when really hot, add the sliced onions.

Stage 10 - ⌛ 7 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 10
Turn the heat down and cook gently until just starting to colour (5-7 minutes).

Stage 11 - ⌛ 1 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 11

Assemble the tian



Butter a large gratin dish.

Stage 12 - ⌛ 2 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 12
Spread the onions out in the bottom.

Stage 13 - ⌛ 15 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 13
Pack the vegetables in vertical rows, alternating the different vegetables and cheese.

Pack them tightly and drizzle generously with olive oil, then salt and pepper.

Stage 14 - ⌛ 2 min.
Vegetable tian : Stage 14
Poke the strips of ham into the tian.

Stage 15
Vegetable tian : Stage 15
You will be very lucky if the quantity of vegetables exactly fits your dish, or you must have a very good eye!

If you have any vegetables left over, why not cook a mini-tian and freeze this for later.

Stage 16 - ⌛ 1 hour
Vegetable tian : Stage 16
Bake for a good hour.

Stage 17
Vegetable tian : Stage 17
15 minutes before the end, take the dish out and scatter the grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs over the top, then return to the oven.

Stage 18
Vegetable tian : Stage 18
Serve hot with a little olive oil or lemon juice drizzled over.
Remarks
The choice of vegetables is by no means limited to the ones listed here, so use whatever types you have to hand, suit your taste and, above all, are in season.

You can also use a different cheese (preferable soft), such as mozarella or Saint Nectaire, or whatever takes you fancy.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, covered with plastic film.
Source: Based on a recipe by Isabelle (my beloved sister).
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe80 RDI=30 %90 RDI=8 %150 RDI=20 %2,000 RDI=100 %8,370 RDI: 100 %
Per 100 g3 RDI=1 %3 RDI=0 %6 RDI=1 %80 RDI=4 %340 RDI: 4 %
Per person9 RDI=4 %10 RDI=1 %20 RDI=3 %250 RDI=10 %1,050 RDI: 10 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman
Possible allergens in this recipe: milk, Gluten, leaven
How much will it cost?
  • For 8 people : 10.45 €
  • Per person : 1.35 €

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Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
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