Veggies Gratin With A Crispy Golden Parmesan Topping

Veggies-Zucchini-Eggplant-Gratin-Crispy-Parmesan-Topping-Casserole-Health-Spry
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  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Cook: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients

3medium zucchinis, sliced in rounds
2medium eggplants, quartered and cubed
10cups water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes (or vegetable stock)
1 bouquet garni (3 sprigs of fresh thyme and 2 fresh bay leaves tied together or put in cheese cloth so it can be removed from dish after cooking). Or use 1 T dried thyme and 2 dried bay leaf
1teaspoon olive oil
2large white or yellow onions, chopped
2cups tomato paste
1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2cup breadcrumbs
1tablespoon powdered garlic
1/2cup grated parmesan

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300F
  2. Cut zucchini in rounds. Quarter eggplants and then cut into cube. (Do not peal either to make sure they hold together during cooking). Transfer to large pot, add water, crumbled bouillon cube (or vegetable stock and if so don’t add water and bouillon) and bouquet garni and mix well. Do not add salt. Cook on high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and use some paper towel to remove as much water as possible.
  3. While veggies are cooking, prepare the onions. Heat olive oil in a skillet and  cook onions on high heat for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Reduce to medium heat. Pour 3 ladles of bouillon from the zucchinis and eggplants on the onions. The onions are ready when the water is fully evaporated.
  4. Spread the onions on the bottom of a gratin dish (I use a 14×10 dish). Top with half of the vegetables. Spread half of the tomato paste. Drizzle half of balsamic vinegar. Add remaining veggies, then remaining tomato paste, and drizzle with remaining balsamic vinegar.
  5. Cover with a foil and bake for 1h, 30 minutes.
  6. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs and garlic powder.
  7. Remove from the oven and top with breadcrumbs mixture and Parmesan. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes. Broil for 2 minutes (optional – be careful, it burns quickly if you don’t pay attention!)

 

Recipe courtesy of Marie, a French foodie living in Sydney for a year, and author of Not Enough Cinnamon. Her blog hosts a great variety of easy, healthy and delicious recipes to suit all tastes-from classic American to Asian, and even French cuisine!

Nutritional Info *per serving

  • Calories 162.25
  • Carbohydrate 26.59g
  • Fiber 8.46g
  • Sugars 10.18g
  • Protein 7.68g