Vegetable Tian

This is a delicious summer dish, and it looks gorgeous—rather like the Italian flag even though it's really a French dish! Traditionally it's made with Gruyere, but I love it made with Cheddar. This recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients

2 large yellow onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4-5 red potatoes, washed, sliced 1/4 inch

3-4 zucchini, sliced

3-4 tomatoes, sliced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs for garnish

2 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Spread the onions evenly on the bottom of 9 by 13 by 2-inch Pyrex baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices, and layer them at a slight diagonal 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 a little more olive oil. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Then take off the foil, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle on the cheddar cheese, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm, although it's extremely delicious cold!