What is a Vegetable Tian?

What is a tian?  Tian is a French word that describes an earthenware square or rectangular casserole dish.  A tian can be a variety of dishes but originally referred to a Provencal-style mix of vegetables that are cooked, baked or roasted in a gratin style.

Our vegetable tian was beautiful!  I loved the way the vegetables looked!  They were of a similar size, and stacked next to one another making the dish a colorful as well as tasty experience!

The recipe is from Ina Garten's cookbook, Barefoot in Paris:  Easy French Food You Can Make at Home.




Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes


Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled
3/4 pound zucchini
1-1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 375F. Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil.

In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.





I think the tian makes a very pretty and colorful presentation.  It was the perfect accompaniment for the Seafood Gratin!  


I am sharing today at Foodie Friday hosted by Michael at Designs by Gollum and at Fat Camp Friday hosted by Miranda at Mangoes and Chutney!  Thank you ladies for the opportunity!