Baked Gratinated Vegetables

Baked gratinated vegetables are a versatile and tasty dish, great as a side or a light main course. Here is the recipe for preparing delicious baked gratinated vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 eggplant
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 200 g of cherry tomatoes
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Aromatic herbs to taste (rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F).
2. Wash all the vegetables. Cut the zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and onion into pieces or slices, depending on your preference.
3. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
4. In a large baking dish, arrange all the chopped vegetables, trying to make an even layer.
5. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and add them to the pan with the vegetables.
6. Drizzle everything with extra virgin olive oil, mix to dress evenly, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan cheese and the chopped aromatic herbs.
8. Sprinkle the breadcrumb and cheese mixture over the vegetables.
9. Bake and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the surface of the gratinated vegetables becomes golden and crispy.
10. Serve hot as a side or as a vegetarian main course.

For an extra Italian touch, you can add slices of mozzarella or smoked provola on top of the vegetables before baking to achieve a stringier and richer gratin.

Curiosity

The gratin is a cooking technique that involves cooking a dish under a high heat source to create a crispy and golden crust on the surface. The term “gratin” comes from the French “gratter”, meaning “to scrape,” referring to the breadcrumbs or grated cheese commonly used for this preparation. In the case of baked vegetables, it’s an excellent way to enhance the taste of the vegetables with the addition of flavor and texture.