Classic French Vegetable Tian

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small eggplant (approx. 9 oz), thinly sliced

02 - 1 medium zucchini (approx. 7 oz), thinly sliced

03 - 2 medium tomatoes (approx. 9 oz), thinly sliced

04 - 1 yellow squash (approx. 7 oz), thinly sliced

05 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

→ Aromatics & Herbs

06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

08 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

09 - 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Topping

11 - 1 1/2 oz grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese (optional)

12 - Fresh basil, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a round or oval baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

02 - Vertically layer eggplant, zucchini, tomato, yellow squash, and onion slices in the prepared dish, alternating and overlapping them to fill the dish tightly.

03 - In a small bowl, combine minced garlic, remaining olive oil, thyme, herbes de Provence, salt, and black pepper. Drizzle this aromatic mixture evenly over the arranged vegetables.

04 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.

05 - Remove foil. If desired, sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the vegetables. Bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender and golden.

06 - Garnish with fresh basil before serving. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

The vegetables roast into silky ribbons—each forkful is like a little mosaic of flavor tucked inside your meal.
This is the dependable dish I can serve hot or cold, fancy or casual, and it’s never failed to impress myself or surprise my friends.

02 -

If you slice the vegetables too thick, you'll end up with a crunchy tian instead of a melt-in-your-mouth one—learned that the first time I rushed the prep.
Letting the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving lets everything settle and prevents slices from slumping apart.

03 -