Eggplant and Squash Tian
A mandoline makes quick work of slicing the vegetables into uniform discs in this recipe, adapted from Seriouseats.com.
Makes 6 side-dish servings About 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
3⁄4 pound zucchini, ends trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1⁄4 inch thick
Salt
3⁄4 pound yellow summer squash, ends trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1⁄4 inch thick 3⁄4 pound Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1⁄4 inch thick
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1⁄4 cup chopped sweet white onion
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 15 minutes. Total time: 45 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Work in batches without crowding the pan to cook zucchini until just tender and slightly brown in spots, turning after about 2 minutes to cook the other side. Spread cooked zucchini on a baking sheet to cool and season with salt.
Add more oil to skillet as needed and continue to cook squash and eggplant in the same manner until all vegetables are lightly browned and tender.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
While vegetables cool, prepare sauce in a medium saucepan by heating 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and crush roughly with a wooden spoon. Bring mixture to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes, stirring as needed. Puree sauce with an immersion or countertop blender, then add oregano and season to taste with salt.
Cover bottom of an earthenware, ceramic or glass baking dish with tomato sauce in a thin, even layer. Arrange sautéed squash, zucchini and eggplant slices in an alternating layered pattern on top of sauce to fill the dish, arranging tightly in a smaller dish or more loosely in a larger one. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce on top of vegetables, reserving the remaining sauce for another use.
Bake tian in preheated oven until heated through and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Can be served hot, but it may be even better eaten at room temperature the following day; try topping with a fried egg.
Per serving: 48 calories, 11g carbohydrate, 2.5g protein, 0.5g fat, 545mg sodium, 3.5g fiber.