Tian de Légumes — A Provençal Tapestry of Summer

In Provence, vegetables are never just sides — they’re the song itself. And Tian de Légumes is the harmony: a simple dish, arranged with care, baked with patience, and served with pride.

 

The word “tian” refers both to the dish and the vessel — a shallow earthenware baking dish, usually clay, often handed down. The ingredients are humble: tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, onions. But the result, when done properly, tastes like August in a hilltop village.

 

We first had it in Gordes, at a table half-shaded by fig trees, where a grandmother brought it out like a holy relic. The scent of garlic and thyme rose with the steam, and the top had browned just enough to singe the edges of summer.

 

The Recipe: Tian de Légumes

 

Serves 4–6

Time: 1 hour

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 medium zucchinis (courgettes)

• 2 medium ripe tomatoes

• 1 small eggplant (aubergine)

• 1 onion

• 2–3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• A few sprigs fresh thyme

• Optional: a dusting of grated parmesan or breadcrumbs

 

Method

 

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

 

Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, and onion into thin, even rounds. Lay them upright, alternating slices, in a circular or straight pattern inside a lightly oiled baking dish.

 

Tuck in slices of garlic between the layers. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and the leaves from a few thyme sprigs.

 

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the top begins to caramelize and the vegetables are tender but still holding shape.

 

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. This dish can be eaten hot, warm, or at room temperature. With bread, of course.

🍷 Wine Pairing

 

A Côtes de Provence Rosé is a natural fit — light, crisp, and dry with just a whisper of fruit. Or, if you prefer white, a Cassidy Blanc or Vermentino with a saline finish will echo the herbs and lift the sweetness of the roasted vegetables.

 

Serve chilled, barefoot if possible.

 

🌿 A Note from the Table

 

Tian de Légumes is what you make when the garden gives more than you need. When it’s too hot to fuss, but you still want beauty. When the sound of a knife slicing through zucchini is enough to calm the day.

 

And if you’re ever at the market in Apt or Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and a vendor calls out, “Tiens, pour ton tian!” — take what they offer. They know what’s ripe.