Tian de Courgettes et de Chèvre (Zucchini Baked with Eggs and Goat Cheese)

Adapted from Niçoise: Market-Inspired Cooking from France’s Sunniest City by Rosa Jackson. This zucchini and egg dish makes wonderful use of squash blossoms — they get baked into the top of the tian, a gorgeous sunburst. But even if you don’t have zucchini blossoms (they’re optional), the tian is still terrific.

READ: The south of France shimmers and delights in the engaging cookbook ‘Niçoise’ — until it doesn’t

READ: “Got zucchini blossoms? Bake them into a gorgeous tian de courgettes”

So, what’s a tian? It’s a baked vegetable dish that’s traditional in Provence, named for the shallow earthenware dish it’s baked in. Usually tians are mostly vegetables (often layered), with just a little egg, cheese or bread crumbs to bind them. Jackson describes her more-eggy variation (it uses half a dozen eggs) as similar to a frittata or crustless quiche.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

8 small or 4 medium zucchini, about 1 pound 6 ounces / 600 grams

2 spring onions or 3 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little more for the baking dish and (optional) zucchini blossoms

1 teaspoon salt, divided

Half a garlic clove, with its skin

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

6 large eggs

1/3 cup / 80 ml heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup / 5 grams basil leaves, thinly sliced

3 ounces / 80 grams soft goat cheese

4 zucchini blossoms (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Cut the zucchini into matchstick pieces about 2 inches / 5 cm long and 1/4 inch / .5 cm thick.

2. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the zucchini and spring onions or scallions, spread them out and cook for 1 minute undisturbed. Then continue to cook, tossing occasionally (or turning them over with a spatula), which damages them less than stirring, until the zucchini has some pale gold spots, 4 or 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and remove from the heat.

3. Rub a 9-inch or 9 1/2-inch (23 - 24 cm) deep-dish pie pan (preferably ceramic, but glass is OK) with the half garlic clove, then coat with the butter. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the dish with the Parmesan.

4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the cream until they’re a little frothy, then whisk in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir in the basil.

5. Place half the zucchini in the prepared baking dish, distributing it as evenly as possible. Crumble half the goat cheese over it, and top with the remaining zucchini and the rest of the goat cheese. Pour the egg-cream mixture over the top.

6. Cut the zucchini blossoms, if using, lengthwise in half, and brush the outsides with olive oil. Place them on top of the egg mixture, radiating out from the center, oiled side up, and press down lightly, so that they partially sink in.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tian is lightly puffed and set in the center. Serve warm or at room temperature.