Zucchini Gratin
From Waste Not, Want Not by Cinda Chavich
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 3 lb small zucchini, sliced
- 6 ripe Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup fresh or dried bread crumbs
Optional toppings
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- ½ cup grated Pecorino cheese
In a sauté pan over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until soft and beginning to brown. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and sweat for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and sprinkle the onion with the sugar. Continue to cook, stirring, until the onion is nicely caramelized.
Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the olive oil into a shallow gratin dish, and arrange a third of the zucchini in the dish, overlapping in concentric circles. Top with half of the caramelized onion. Add half of the tomatoes, a third of the minced garlic, a little thyme and salt and pepper, and about ¼ cup of the bread crumbs.
Repeat the layers. Add a final layer of zucchini, season with the remaining garlic and thyme and a little salt and pepper, and top with ½ cup of the bread crumbs and the remaining 1⅔ tablespoons of olive oil.
Bake for 1 hour. Drain any excess liquid, top with cheese, if using, and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbling and browned.
*Recipe excerpted from Waste Not, Want Not by Cinda Chavich, 2015
