Summer Vegetable Gratin
In Season
- Course: Side Dish
Summary:
Summer vegetables are so good on their own, you really don’t need to do much to them. They also mix well with each other.
This gratin, which can be assembled in minutes, is a perfect example. Each vegetable is thinly sliced, then layered together with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. The cooking times will vary based on how thinly the vegetable were sliced.
Save any trimmed ends or odd bits of vegetables left over; coarsely chop and saute with a little pancetta for another meal.
4 side-dish servings
Ingredients:
- 1 small eggplant, preferably round (about 4 ounces), stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices
- 8 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (stacked, rolled tightly and then cut into thin strips)
- 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- About 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small pattypan squash, (about 4 ounces), trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices
- 1 medium sweet onion, (about 4 to 6 ounces), stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices
- 1 medium yellow or red tomato, (6 ounces), cored and cut crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon plain fine dried breadcrumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or a similarly sized baking dish with nonstick cooking spray oil.
Create a single layer of eggplant slices in the bottom of the dish; the slices should overlap only at the edges. (They will not cover the bottom completely). Sprinkle 1/3 of the cut basil leaves over the slices, then 1 tablespoon of the cheese; season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of oil over the layer. Repeat with the squash, then the onion and tomato slices.
Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of cheese over the top, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, and then scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons of the oil over the top, then cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the foil; increase the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the excess moisture in the bottom of the dish has gone and the top of the gratin begins to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Let sit about 15 minutes before serving. Use a thin, sharp knife to cut the gratin into 4 equal portions, then use a spatula to transfer to serving plates.
Recipe Source:
From In Season columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
(Dominic Bracco II - The Washington Post)
