GRATIN OF EGGPLANT, TOMATO, AND ZUCCHINI

GRATIN OF EGGPLANT, TOMATO, AND ZUCCHINI image

Yield 12 people

Number Of Ingredients 18

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1/2 cup of olive oil, excellent quality
1 large or 2 medium eggplants, about
1 1/4 lbs
1 TBLS herbes de Provence
1 tsp salt
2 medium zucchini, about 1 lb total
3 or 4 ripe tomatoes, about 1 lb
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
FOR THE BREAD - CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup or so fresh bread crumbs, not too finely ground
1/3 cup or so freshly grated Parmesan cheese
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
A large shallow rimmed jelly roll pan or cookie sheet; a gratin or shallow baking dish, 8 cup volume
PREPARING THE VEGETABLES
Arrange the rack on the lower-middles level of the oven and preheat to 400. Smear the baking sheet generously with 1/3 cup pf the olive oil.
Trim off the ends of the eggplant and slice it on the diagonal into ovals 1/2 inch thick. One at a time, lay the slices on the sheet, press to coat lightly with oil and turn them over. Arrange the slices oil side up, in a single layer and sprinkle on 1/2 tsp each of salt and herbes de Provence.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the eggplant slices are soft and somewhat shriveled; allow to cool briefly. Leave the oven on if you will be baking the gratin right away.
Meanwhile, trim the ends off the zucchini and cut lengthwise into slices no more than 1/4 thick. Spread out the slices and sprinkle them lightly with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper.

Steps:

ASSEMBLING THE GRATIN Film the gratin or baking dish with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle a tsp of the dried herbs all over the bottom. Lay one or two eggplant slices, lengthwise, against a narrow side of the dish. Arrange a long slice or two of zucchini in front of the eggplant, then place 2 or 3 tomato slices in front of the zucchini. Repeat the procedure to fill the pan with alternating rows of eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Arrange each new row of slices so the colorful top edges of the previous row are still visible. TOPPING AND BAKING THE GRATIN Mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and a tsp of the herbes de Provence. Add a TBLS of olive oil, then toss and rub it in with your fingers to coat the crumbs but keep them loose. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the vegetables and drizzle the rest of the oil over all. Place the dish in the center of the oven and bake for 40 mins, until the vegetables are soft, the juices are bubbling, and the top is a deep golden brown. If the crumbs need more browning, you can stick them under the broiler for a few moments. Serve hot, directly from the baking dish.