Recipe for Provençal Tian with Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). Place a bowl of water to add moisture to the oven (this is optional but helps in proper cooking). Peel and slice the onion.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onion over medium-high heat for about ten minutes, then reduce the heat. Don't forget to season with salt.

Peel the garlic, and rub the bottom and edges of the baking dish with a clove. Thinly slice what remains and add it with the onion. Wash and then slice the zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant into rounds of the same thickness (I cut the rounds of eggplant that were too large in half).

Pour the onions at the bottom of the dish. Layer the tomato sauce on top. You need a well-moistened base: like here with the onion and garlic mixture in olive oil and the tomato sauce…

Arrange the vegetables upright in the dish, alternating among eggplant, green zucchini, yellow zucchini, and tomato. Ensure that the slices are of uniform size (trimming the larger ones or adjusting two of the smaller slices if necessary). Pack the vegetables tightly: this will help the flavors mingle, making the dish even more delicious, and the slices of tomato, zucchini, and eggplant will dry out less when exposed to the heat of the oven.

Salt with a sprinkle of chili pepper. Add tomato, shallot, and pepper. Sprinkle with herbs and generously drizzle with olive oil. (If needed, add a bit more tomato sauce between the layers). Cook at a low heat, 160°C, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil for the first hour to trap the moisture of the vegetables and cook them in their own steam. Uncover for the last half hour for a golden and caramelized touch. Occasionally baste with the cooking juice.

To finish, sprinkle with basil leaves (optional) and drizzle with a little oil just before serving. ENJOY YOUR MEAL!