Provençal Vegetable Tian Stacks with Red Pepper Sauce and Crispy Chickpeas

Photo by amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash

A tian is a Provençal dish of summer vegetables sliced into rounds and roasted with olive oil, garlic and herbs. Traditionally, the slices are arranged in neat rows in a baking dish. Here I stack them into little towers instead, on a smoky red pepper sauce, for a dinner that looks special but is really very simple.

Crispy roasted chickpeas on top add crunch and plant protein, so it’s a complete, satisfying meal. It’s the perfect recipe for late August, when aubergines, courgettes and tomatoes are at their very best.

Why it’s good for you

• A rainbow of vegetables. Aubergine, courgette, tomatoes and peppers give you a wide range of antioxidants, fibre and vitamin C.

• Plant protein. Chickpeas turn this vegetable dish into a filling main course.

• The Mediterranean way. Olive oil, garlic and herbs are at the heart of one of the healthiest ways of eating in the world.

• Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Nothing to adapt, it’s perfect for everyone around the table.

Did you make it? I’d love to hear how you enjoyed it. You’ll find more seasonal ideas in my recipes, and if you’d like support finding a way of eating that truly fits your life, have a look at how we can work together.

Servings

4

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

40 Min

Total time

1 Hr

Print

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Provençal Vegetable Tian Stacks with Red Pepper Sauce and Crispy Chickpeas

Roasted aubergine, courgette, tomato and onion stacked into little towers on a smoky red pepper sauce, with crispy chickpeas. A vegan, gluten-free summer dinner.

Ingredients

For the vegetables

• 1 aubergine
• 2 courgettes (one green and one yellow, if you can find them)
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp herbes de Provence
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh basil, to serve

For the red pepper sauce

• 2 red peppers, deseeded and quartered
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• A pinch of smoked paprika

For the crispy chickpeas

• 1 tin of chickpeas (400 g), drained and patted dry
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
2. Slice the aubergine, courgettes, tomatoes and onion into rounds about 5 mm thick. Toss the aubergine, courgette and onion with the olive oil, garlic, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper, and lay them flat on two lined baking trays.
3. On a third tray, put the red peppers, cherry tomatoes and the garlic clove with 1 tbsp olive oil. On a small tray, toss the chickpeas with the oil and paprika.
4. Roast everything for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the vegetable slices once, until soft and golden and the chickpeas are crispy. Add the tomato slices for the last 10 minutes.
5. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin and blend it with the peppers, cherry tomatoes and smoked paprika until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed. Season to taste.
6. Build four stacks, alternating aubergine, courgette, tomato and onion slices. Warm them in the oven for 5 minutes.
7. Spoon the sauce onto warm plates, place a stack in the middle and finish with the crispy chickpeas and fresh basil.

The classic way

For a traditional tian, arrange the raw slices upright in rows in an oiled baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and herbs, and bake for 45 minutes. Serve with the sauce and chickpeas on the side.

Serve with

A little quinoa, bulgur or crusty wholegrain bread to soak up the sauce.

Make ahead

The sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge and the stacks reheat well.

Did you make this recipe?

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