Zucchini-Tomato Tian with Olives

From Deborah Madison's The Savory Way

  • about 2 TBLS olive oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced - about 2 cups
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1 scant tsp. dried herbs de Provence
  • about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 zucchini, summer squash, or cousa, or a combination
  • 3 plum tomatoes
  • 4-6 black oil-cured olives
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil in a spray/mister if you have one
  • lemon wedges or red wine vinegar for serving (optional)
Drizzle some olive oil in a pan, warm it, and lightly fry the onions, garlic, and herbs de Provence, with a little salt, until they are starting to get tender and translucent, but not brown. Add half the parsley, and then spread the onions in a thin layer on the bottom of a shallow gratin pan. Grind some black pepper over them. Slice the zucchini into rounds. Add more oil to the same pan, and fry the zucchini, with a little salt. When it has a few brown spots, toss in the parsley, and layer the zucchini over the onions. Slice the tomatoes, and tuck them in amongst the zucchini. Pit the olives and cut them into slivers and nestle them in there too. Mist the whole dish with olive oil, or drizzle or brush the oil. Cover with foil, and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes then uncover and bake another 10 - 20 minutes until nicely browned and the juices are reduced.