Melting Vegetable Flan

The melting vegetable flan is a delicious and colorful dish that can be adapted with your favorite seasonal vegetables. It’s perfect as both an appetizer and a vegetarian main course. Here’s how to create a classic melting vegetable flan with an Italian spirit.

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini
• 1 eggplant
• 2 bell peppers (one red and one yellow)
• 2 carrots
• 200g of melting cheese (such as mozzarella, fontina, provolone), sliced or cubed
• 2 eggs
• 50 ml of cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Bread crumbs
• Butter for greasing

Preparation

1. Start by washing and cleaning all the vegetables. Slice the zucchini and eggplant into rounds, the carrots into thin slices, and the bell peppers into strips after removing the seeds.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick pan and grill the vegetables until they are lightly browned on both sides. Season with a little salt during cooking. Once ready, set them aside on a plate.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the cream, salt, and pepper.
4. Take ovenproof molds and grease the bottom and sides with a little butter, then sprinkle them with breadcrumbs.
5. Arrange layers of grilled vegetables alternated with slices of melting cheese in your molds, filling them up to three-quarters.
6. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the molds, over the vegetables and cheese, covering them.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 20-25 minutes or until the surface of the flans turns golden-brown.
8. Allow to cool slightly before removing the flans from their molds.

Once served, the melting vegetable flans will amaze your guests with a soft and flavorful heart.

Did You Know?

Melting cheese is a key element that makes this dish irresistible. In Italy, every region has its traditional cheese that works well for similar purposes, like the smoked provola in Campania or the fontina in Valle d’Aosta, which melt beautifully with heat, providing a creamy texture and rich taste.