Recipe: Tomato-Zucchini Gratin
By David Harbilas
The French are credited with much of the great food in history, and rightly so.
Much of what we know about the balance of flavors and pairing of ingredients can be traced to the techniques and recipes of French cuisine.
Tomatoes and zucchini may sound like a bland pairing, and it can be.
But attention to technique, another matter the French are known for in their cooking, can transform the simple to the sublime. Cutting the vegetables uniformly, seasoning the layers with care, and using the best possible ingredients, in season, can make this dish memorable.
Yields 4 servings
- 4 large vine-ripe tomatoes
- 2 small-medium zucchini
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 4 fresh thyme branches
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Bread crumbs, optional
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Using a mandolin, slice the zucchini to about ¼ inch thick. Slice the tomatoes about the same thickness. Rub a shallow pan with olive oil and the smashed garlic clove. In alternating layers, lay the tomatoes and zucchini in the pan, overlapping the slices.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the bread-crumbs, if using. (Leaving them out yields a “cleaner” result—but it lacks texture.) Roast the vegetables for 20-30 minutes, or until slightly browned on top and tender.
