The first time we made a tian, it was because we were looking for ways to use our summer squash. All the rest of the times we have made it because it is fabulously delicious, and now that we are finally starting to see summer squash and tomatoes popping into the markets, it’s time to make it again.
If you’re making a tian, you won’t even need to fantasize about being able to travel while stuck at home, because it makes wherever you are feel perfect. We recommend listening to Ella Fitzgerald sing Cole Porter while you prepare the vegetables. If the weather’s right, open a window to let a little breeze into the kitchen. Every so often stop what you’re doing, close your eyes, and feel the moment.
The tian is delicious as a side dish to meat, but it’s just as delightful as a main with a slice of good bread. It’s also yummy with an egg on top. This particular tian still tastes wonderful as leftovers, so we highly recommend doubling it—either in two pie dishes or one larger casserole dish. In deciding which pan to use, keep in mind that it loses substantial volume while baking.
Summer Vegetable Tian
Serves 6
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (you don’t need your nice extra virgin oil for this)
1 pound garden tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow squash or zucchini, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced*
3 tablespoons basil, washed, rolled into a cylinder, and sliced thin
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, rinsed, removed from stems
1/2 c grated gruyere or other hard cheese, such as parmigiano reggiano or asiago
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Put the salt, vinegar, and garlic in a jelly jar and shake them together for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons oil and shake more until frothy and thoroughly mixed. Layer the tomato and squash slices in a bowl, then pour the vinaigrette over them, sprinkle with thyme, and gently mix them together; let it stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan, add the onion, and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Then move them to a deep pie dish or other medium-size baking dish (an 8-inch square pan would be plenty big). Cover the onion with half of the tomato and squash slices. Sprinkle with more salt (about 1/4 teaspoon salt per layer) two or three grinds of fresh pepper, half of the basil, and half of the cheese.
Add the remaining tomato and squash slices and play with them a bit so they look appealing. Sprinkle with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, the remaining basil, and the remaining cheese. Pour any remaining vegetable marinade over the top.
Bake uncovered for at least one hour, until well-browned. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. If you have extra thyme still on its branches, place some on top as a garnish.
*Yes, we have a favorite way to slice onions and it works particularly well for this dish. Instead of cutting the onion across the middle, halfway between the stem and blossom ends, cut it lengthwise, through the stem and blossom ends. Then slice the onion halves lengthwise instead of crosswise (see the photo)--you’ll get much more even slices this way and that means that they’ll cook more evenly, too.
