Recipes - Famous Recipes - Recipes Recipe - Famous Recipes: Famous Recipes - Zucchini & Summer Squash Gratin with Parmesan & Fresh Thyme

*Zucchini & Summer Squash Gratin with Parmesan & Fresh Thyme *
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For this gratin, use all the interesting green and yellow summer squashes
(pattypan, scallop, crookneck, butterstick) you find at the farmers' market.

*Serves six to eight as a side dish; four as a main dish. *

FOR THE ONIONS:

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium onions (14 oz. total), thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

TO ASSEMBLE THE GRATIN:

1-1/4 lb. ripe red tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

3/4 lb. (about 2 small) zucchini or other green summer squash, cut into
1/4-inch slices on the bias

3/4 lb. (about 2 small) yellow summer squash or golden zucchini, cut into
1/4-inch slices on the bias

3 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. coarse salt

1-1/4 cups freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

Freshly ground black pepper to taste
To cook the onions -- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium
heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until limp and golden
brown, about 20 min. Reduce the heat to medium-low if they're browning too
quickly. Add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 min.
Spread the onions and garlic evenly in the bottom of an oiled 2-qt. shallow
gratin dish (preferably oval). Let cool.

To assemble the gratin. -- Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the tomato slices on
a shallow plate to drain for a few minutes and then discard the collected
juices. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini and squash slices with 1-1/2
Tbs. of the olive oil, 2 Tbs. of the thyme, and 1/2 tsp. of the salt.
Reserve half of the cheese for the top of the gratin. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. of the
thyme over the onions in the gratin. Starting at one end of the baking dish,
lay a row of slightly overlapping tomato slices across the width of the dish
and sprinkle with a little of the cheese. Next, lay a row of zucchini,
overlapping the tomatoes by two-thirds, and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat
with a row of squash, and then repeat rows, sprinkling each with cheese,
until the gratin is full.

Season lightly with pepper and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Drizzle the
remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil over all. Combine the reserved cheese with
the remaining 1 Tbs. thyme and sprinkle this over the whole gratin. Cook
until well-browned all over and the juices have bubbled for a while and
reduced considerably, 65 to 70 min. Let cool for at least 15 min. before
serving.

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