Summer Harvest Tiella
A Tiella is a layered vegetable dish often containing tomatoes, that is popular in southern Italy, and it is usually baked in an earthenware dish. Having visited many different regions in Italy, I know that each region has their own favorite version of Tiella. In Puglia, it often contains either mussels (cozze), while some other regions encase their Tiella in pastry.
I make a type of Tiella that is a little different, and that varies each time I make it depending on what vegetables are seasonally available. Our garden has finally reached its peak, and last week I picked eggplants, summer squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. I wanted to create one dish that incorporated all my vegetables into one dish to serve for dinner.
For this recipe, I used a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, but you could use any oven-proof baking dish that you prefer. What makes this dish so great is that you can change the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. During cooler months, I often add a layer of potatoes which creates a heartier tiella.
To ensure your vegetables are fully cooked, I like to oven roast them separately first before layering them and baking them. The vegetables are layered with a cheesy crumb layer which adds texture and flavor.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Summer Harvest Tiella
A layered vegetable dish made with summer harvest vegetables.
Ingredients
For The Vegetables:
- 1 1/2 Pounds Eggplant, Trimmed And Cut Into 1/3-inch Slices
- 1 Pound Zucchini, Trimmed & Cut Into 1/3-inch Slices
- 1 Pound Summer Squash, Trilled & Cut Into 1/3-inch Slices
- 1 Pound Large Tomatoes, Slices
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil Plus Extra For Baking
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
For The Cheese & Crumb Layer:
- 2 Cups Stale Homemade Breadcrumbs
- 1 Cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 2 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley Leaves
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Peeled
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil.
- Brush the vegetable slices with olive oil and roast in batches for 15 minutes until tender.
- Arrange the eggplant in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch pan. then top with a layer of zucchini, squash, and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with the chopped basil.
- Place the cheese and crumb layer ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.
- Sprinkle half the crumb mixture over the vegetables in the pan, then add another layer of each of the vegetables, and finish with the last of the crumb mixture.
- Drizzle the vegetables with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil, then bake for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and the crumb mixture has browned.
- Cool 10 minutes then enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 357Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 422mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 9g
