Zucchini Tomato Gratin

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zucchini gratin Our garden is producing wonderful things and I’m inspired daily to use everything we pick. Winter comes all too soon here and it’s going to be really sad to say goodbye to all this freshness! So for now I give you my version of a gratin.

I like to make this in a wide pan, I use this paella pan that I have, I’m sure you’ve seen it in many of my posts, but I love it I can’t help it! I’m sure a cast iron pan would work as well.
First layer; Sweet Vadalia onion ring slices on a nice drizzle of olive oil ( the pan I use gets them all caramelized on the bottom)
Sliced zucchini
Handfull of romano cheese spread all over
Toasted homemade Italian bread crumbs spread about
Small cherry tomatoes placed all around
I had some cut leeks I needed to use so I threw them in, glad I did!
Drizzle with olive oil
More cheese
More breadcrumbs
Repeat!
Garnish with fresh snipped basil
Place in a hot oven at 425 till tender and crispy and the tomatoes pop and get caramelized, you could even place it under the broiler at the end to crisp up the top more, I have a convection roast feature on my stove so that always does the trick.
The imported romano cheese, the tomatoes ( you must use cherry tomatoes, please) the homemade breadcrumbs and those caramelized onions paired with the zucchini, I’m telling you I could almost become a vegetarian!

But instead I made more of that beautiful cod along side it. I saw this preparation on the cable TV show, Every Day Food, it’s so simple but BURSTING with flavor! Chop up some fresh herbs, I used basil, chives and parsley, now grate some fresh lemon zest into the mix. Salt and pepper your fish and swipe the top with Dijon mustard, now press it down into the herb mixture and of course drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 425 till translucent. This…Was…Fabulous! The fresh herbs complemented the fish so well, so light, so summer!

Now for a little palette cleanser, how about some Key Lime Pie. Sorta. You see my husband and I are crazy about key lime pie, but living here in Chicagoland key limes are not readily available so I never even thought about making this, until I saw Pioneer Woman’s post on it.
She calls it Key Lime Pie, Sorta because she uses regular limes not key limes, no problem here because I just bought 20 limes for $1.00! So I was inspired. I won’t even tell you how many times I’ve made it this summer, we crave it! I know it’s not the so called “real thing” but it’s darn close!
So before summer is over all you key lime pie lovers, you MUST make this! So here’s the recipe.
Note: From my guilt of making this so often I used reduced fat condensed milk and I even bought a reduced fat graham cracker crust and the result was just as good. I would encourage you to try her version first, but if you go past 3 pies like I did, you might want to think about switching things up! It’s so refreshing on a hot summer day.
Enjoy your weekend and Buon Appetito!
Oh, next week August 15Th is my 3 year Blogiversary I hope you can stop by for a visit, I have a nice giveaway too!
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Comments

  1. I hope you’re still maintaining your blog because I have a question. Wondering how long it takes to bake your Gratin?

    • Wanda, It really doesn’t take that long in that hot of an oven, maybe 15 minutes or so, but keep checking so it doesn’t burn. I should be nicely golden on top.

  2. How long on average does the gratin take in the oven?

  3. I just found your blog through Pinterest. I can’t wait to try some of your recipes, starting with this delicious Zucchini Tomato Gratin. It looks wonderful!

  4. Ah, I can’t wait to try your zucchini tomato gratin! 🙂 It looks delicious! Thanks for the post!

  5. Thanks for your sweet comments Krissy, So glad you liked it!
    xo
    Marie

  6. I made this gratin a few weeks ago. Huge hit, so flavorful! Even the non veggie lovers went crazy for it. I recently shut down my blog and started cooking my way through yours (I’m enjoying cooking again)…next up is the Ricotta pie, although I cherish my aunt Rose’s recipe, I can’t say no to the flavors of cannoli).

  7. I made a similar dish last summer but added thinly sliced squash and that was very good also.

  8. Zevon, I never covered it, it’s always roasting uncovered on high heat.

  9. This gratin looks awesome and I plan on making it. Question, though. I would think you would leave it uncovered while cooking and more or less roast the vegetables, instead of covering it which would team it a bit. Is this what happened? Don’t want to screw up the recipe when I make it.

    thanks.

    Love your blog. Wish I had discovered it earlier.

  10. I love your gratin! I made zucchini fritters a few days ago which were also very good.

    Yoir pie looks amazing! If I go to Key West in a few months as we planned I’ll buy you a bottle of Key Lime juice! 🙂

  11. i fixed this last night and it was a huge hit. i do think the homemade breadcrumbs made a difference. would you post your recipe for breadcrumbs?? thanks

  12. Anonymous says

    i made this last night and it was a HUGE hit! i go think the homemade bread crumbs made the difference. thanks

  13. 20 limes for a dollar! I’d fill up a wagon. And do … something with them. yes, that pie. Love the gratin. We’re on our 3rd go-round with zucchini gratin – keep changing the cheeses and the zucchini keeps on coming. Now that herbed sauce sweeps me off my feet!

  14. Hello there! This looks so yummy, going to try it tonight with all our fresh farmer’s market purchases from this morning :). Happened upon your blog recently and wanted to say how much I enjoy it – made your artichoke fritatta recipe from back in 2008 this week, it was fabulous!

  15. That gratin looks amazing….wow, it almost looks too good to eat, notice I say almost, because there is no way I could resist it!!! And you made dessert too!!! I’m coming to your house!

  16. Recipes are great, love the fish idea ..quick, easy and tasty. Is it 3 years .. my word, 🙂

    Congratulations and well done, to keep it going this long with wonderful recipes to tempt us 🙂

  17. Recipes are great, love the fish idea ..quick, easy and tasty. Is it 3 years .. my word, 🙂

    Congratulations and well done, to keep it going this long with wonderful recipes to tempt us 🙂

  18. That is a great way to enjoy some summer vegetables!

  19. Now that’s one mouthwatering dinner! I bought tomatoes and zucchini yesterday so am all set to try this wonderful gratin. I’m always looking for new ways to prepare zucchini.

  20. That looks and sounds delicious…and so perfect for super-fresh summer vegetables.

  21. So excellent, Marie. Someone dropped a bunch of zucchini off to our house last night and I needed another zucchini recipe!

  22. How nice that your garden is producing such a bounty. Oh and that sorta key lime pie…yum!

  23. What a wonderful and tasty dish Marie.. I think though that I would be guilty of consuming this on my own. I’m not good at sharing gratins. Anything crumbled with breads and cheeses on top I’m all selfish!

  24. What a wonderful, fresh and healthy meal!

  25. What a great meal…I could easily devour the whole gratin I think, but the cod looks yummy too!
    And the pie-I need to try it. I’ve bookmarked this post as delicious!

  26. The gratin was on my must make list then I scrolled down and saw the cod! Okay I’ll make that too. And I keep on scrolling and dear God my favorite pie is there… sigh I am thinking perhaps next Saturday night dinner!

  27. This gratin sounds AMAZING! I’m a huge fan of all these fresh flavors.

  28. I love that this gratin isn’t super cheesy! It’s the perfect way to really let the veggie’s flavors shine through!

  29. Wow, dinner at your place looks good! I’m stopping by!

  30. Hi Ariana, Welcome to another Chicagoan, were are you from?

  31. Marie, I too am from the Chicagoland area (and Italian). I swear you have me drooling with each post. This dish looks great, and I plan on making that “la bomba” dip soon. If you were in my neighborhood I swear I would be at your doorstep everyday looking for scraps 😉 Ariana from PR

  32. Oh my gosh what a beautiful display of color and flavor. That zucchini gratin is outstanding and one I must try. Happy number 3 to you!

  33. Looks easy breezy, and tasty too!

  34. Three recipes, all great. First, the gratin… I have everything growing in my garden and I have vidalia onions. I have the perfect cast iron pan, too. I’m so making this. I don’t cook enough fish, so this recipe is easy and perfect.
    As for the Key Lime Pie… I made a low-fat one and haven’t blogged it yet. I should do that, soon. Key limes are plentiful an inexpensive where I live, because they come from Mexico.
    Great menu, Linda. Will you adopt me?

  35. I love the zucchini gratin, and I’m going to try the fish recipe on trout that I bought for dinner tonight.

    I made a frittata thsi morning with garden produce ..so yummy!

    I had the best Key Lime pie in Key West a few years ago but I think yours would give it a run for the money, Marie.
    I’ll be on vacation soon, so I hope I don’t miss your anniversary or give away. In case I do congratulations on having one of the best food blogs ever, and definitly one of my favorites!

    Summer is such a wonderful foodie time 🙂

  36. I will be trying all three of these delicious ideas!

  37. I just had a slice of key lime for breakfast! I found key limes in the city and immediately came home to make it. So delicious! This gratin looks amazing too!

  38. Love this! I am so stealing that gratin for my next class! It looks so pretty and delicious!

  39. Wow, where to start? You gave us a three-fer. My brain is saying fish and gratin, my heart is saying key lime pie.

  40. Wow! Now that’s a post! I’m not sure where to start, but this is some beautiful food, Marie! I have so many zucchini, leeks and tomatoes ready to pick that your gratin will definitely be put to good use. Wondrous!

  41. Marie,
    Your gratin looks fabulous, and I am definitely making that fish for dinner this week! Thanks!

  42. The entire meal looks and sounds delicious.

  43. These are all inspiring dishes to make use our local ingredients.

  44. Beautiful gratin!!

    I forgot my first year blogiversary!! I’ll be sure to stop by and celebrate 😉

Trackbacks

  1. […] it, so I made one of our family favorites today at lunchtime; Marie from Proud Italian Cook’s Zucchini Tomato Gratin.  I figured that baking the zucchini for awhile would soften them up.  This is such an incredible […]

  2. […] and Zucchini from the garden are still filling our kitchen. Here is an idea of what to do with them, […]

  3. […] I came across the Proud Italian Cook who has a lovely looking Zucchini Tomato Gratin recipe which I decided to […]

  4. […] so easy! I had all of the ingredients and I went to town. I did a few things differently from the recipe. I added a bit of mushrooms and fresh mozzarella cheese and I did not add the leeks. It turned out […]

  5. […] this week I made Zucchini Tomato Gratin in a cast iron skillet and served it over a bed of quinoa – easy and delish! I also made a […]

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