If you’ve ever visited Provence in late summer, you’ll know how abundant and beautiful the local produce is, with plump tomatoes, firm zucchini, and fragrant herbs adorning every market stall. 

The tian de ratatouille is a classic way to showcase these sun-ripened vegetables, layered artfully and baked slowly until tender and full of flavor.

While traditional ratatouille is more of a rustic stew, this tian version brings a little elegance to the table. It's perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side dish and it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. It will look like you’ve gone to much more trouble than you actually have!

Laura ready to cook

Laura ready to cook the tian, ©Laura Crotet

Instructions

  • Slice the eggplant into thin rounds. Put them in a bowl and lightly salt them. Let them sit for about 15-20 minutes to give their water, then rinse and pat dry. You can brush a little olive oil on each round, but I do not think this is necessary.
  • During this time, slide the zucchini, the tomatoes, and the onions into rounds.
  • Preheat the oven to 360°F.
  • Rub the bottom of your dish with a garlic clove that you did not cut, then put some olive oil in the dish.
  • Begin assembling the tian by arranging the sliced vegetables, alternating the colors. If you have a square dish like me, you can do this by lines. If you have a round dish, start on the outside and make a circular arrangement. As I did not want too much on an onion taste, I skipped every other turn for the onion.

The tian ready for the oven

The tian is ready for the oven, ©Laura Crotet

  • Sprinkle the top with the chopped garlic, herbes de Provence, salt & pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
  • Cook in the oven for about 1 hour, until the vegetables are soft and are starting to turn golden on the top.

It is a great side dish for a BBQ, or can be enjoyed as is with a salad, a baked potato, or a crusty baguette (and of course, some rosé from the south of France).

 

The tian finished

Looks delicious! ©Laura Crotet

 

- Laura Crotet, France Just For You

If this recipe brings water to your mouth, you may want to check out our recipe for Pistou soup, another Riviera specialty.

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Jenifer
When planning my 60th birthday celebration, my sister and I stumbled upon France Just For You, which saved us from the potential nightmare of traveling with 40 strangers on a bus. As a result, my sister and I, along with our husbands, experienced a trip of a lifetime! From the beginning, Emilie was extraordinarily responsive, informative, and more …
Patty & Tim
France Just for You made our trip to France a very wonderful experience! Emilie asked what we'd like to do and she did all of the work. From booking charming, cozy hotels and b&b's to creating itineraries tailored toward our interests. The book she created for us included directions and suggested hikes in Paris, Bayeux, Honfleur and Giverny. We …
Sheldon
We began planning this trip over a year before our departure date. We have done a lot of traveling but this trip was for our 25th wedding anniversary! Once we decided upon France as our destination all that was left was to get all the details taken care of. Based on previous adventures, we knew that we wanted to drive ourselves on a self- directed …
David
It was the best tour ever! Laura did an amazing job to deliver painless and excellent planning and arrangements. Everything promised was delivered and included much more than would normally be seen without ‘INSIDR’ tips. It is obvious that Emilie and Laura have put a lot of thought and effort into the tours they offer. We definitely recommend …
Pam
Dear Emilie, Thank you so much for all you did to make our vacation fantastic. From the initial planning, the guide book, and all the accommodations and plans, everything was fabulous! Our trip was made better because of you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Judy
This was one of the best trips we have taken to Europe. We have often done our own planning. It was so nice to have Laura help. We were very delighted with accommodations and friendliness of all our hosts and tour guides. As Americans that don't speak much French, we would never have been able to arrange a trip like this ourselves - and we've done …