Ratatouille tian

July 18, 2007

Serves 8

A tian is a mixture of vegetables, all very thinly sliced, tucked into tight overlapping concentric circles in a shallow dish and baked together. This is a simplified version of the dish that Remy, the little chef in the movie "Ratatouille," made for the critic Anton Ego. For a sophisticated version, use a mandoline or another hand-held slicing device.

	Olive oil (for sprinkling)
8	small zucchini
8	small yellow squash
12	small ripe tomatoes
	Salt and pepper, to taste
3	tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3	tablespoons fresh oregano

1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 10-inch round or oval gratin dish, or use a cast-iron skillet.

2. Use the slicing device to cut the zucchini and squash into paper-thin rounds. With a serrated knife, slice the tomatoes thinly.

3. Take 3 slices of zucchini and set them along the edge of the pan, slightly overlapping. Do the same with 3 slices of squash, then 3 slices of tomato. It's OK to make the vegetables very tight in the pan. When all the slices are in the pan, sprinkle them with oil, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon each of the thyme and oregano. Cover the pan with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit it exactly.

4. Bake the tian for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender. Discard the parchment paper, and add the remaining thyme and oregano. Sheryl Julian