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Vegetable Tian with Fromage Frais

Ready in 50 mins

Recipe by Graham 

Discover this classic dish from the Provence region of France. Excellent choice as an accompaniment for a thick slice of ham. This recipe is very simple to follow and economical too. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and looks after itself in the oven.

Fromage frais is a creamy soft cheese, made with whole or skimmed milk and cream. It is like cream cheese, but with less fat (fewer calories and less cholesterol). If you cannot find fromage frais, you can use low fat cream cheese. Pure fromage frais has very little fat.

A tian is an earthenware vessel of Provence used both for cooking and serving. It is also the name of the dish prepared in it and baked in an oven.

Preparation Time

15 Minutes

Cooking Time

35 Minutes
A Top Choice Recipe for Simplicity

Ingredients for Vegetable Tian with Fromage Frais

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

2 medium-sized tomatoes
1 medium-sized aubergine
2 medium-sized courgettes
1 bunch fresh basil
8 oz fromage frais (or low fat cream cheese)
3 tablespoons olive oil
  salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Cook Vegetable Tian with Fromage Frais

  1. Wash the tomatoes, aubergine and courgettes then cut into roundelles about 3mm (⅛") thick
  2. Place these, standing vertically, in a shallow oven-proof dish, using a repeating pattern (tomato, aubergine, courgette, tomato, aubergine, courgette etc)
  3. Snip the basil leaves with scissors and mix in a bowl with the fromage frais. Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper and spread liberally over the vegetables.
  4. Sprinkle the olive oil over the top then place in the middle of a preheated moderate oven (Mk 4 - 350°F - 180°C) for 35 minutes.
  5. Serve hot straight from the oven.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
If you don't trust yourself to cut your vegetables, use a mandolin to slice them all the same thickness.
 
GRAHAM'S WINE RECOMMENDATION:
Any nice rosé works well with Vegetable Tian with Fromage Frais