Traditional southern recipe…Not quite ratatouille: Tian provençal

Thanks to the Disney film, all of you know about ratatouille. The French dish has gained immense popularity following the release of the movie but it is in fact a traditional recipe typical to the Provence region in the south of France. 

However, what you saw in the movie looks less like a ratatouille but more like a tian! 

Tian, compared to the ratatouille which is a stew, is baked, and simply more “sophisticated”, it has more art to it - at least in its appearance. 

Here is the recipe (for ~ 6): 

Ingredients needed: 

• 5 tomatoes
  
• 2 eggplants
  
• 3 zucchinis 
  
• 3 red onions 
  
• Garlic 
  
• Olive oil
  
• Herbes de Provence (Blend of thyme, rosemary, savory, oregano, and marjoram)
  
• Optional: cheese like Parmesan, ewe's milk cheese or even mozzarella 
  

Steps: 

1. Wash the tomatoes and cut into thick slices. Drain with salt for 30 min. wash the eggplants and zucchinis and cut into slices. Peel the onions and slice into thin rings.
   Additional step: cut the cheese into slices.
   
   
2. Arrange the tian in a gratin dish in which you have rubbed a clove of garlic and oiled, alternating slices of zucchini, tomato, onion, eggplant and slices of sheep's milk cheese, arranging them in rounds over the entire surface of the dish, until all the ingredients have been used up. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the dish with herbes de provence and grated Parmesan.
   
   
3. Bake for 45 minutes at 210°C (410°F) degrees, then turn down to 180°C (350°F) and bake for a further 20 minutes. Enjoy hot.