Vegetable tian

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, cut into half rings
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 450 g medium round potatoes, unpeeled
• 350 g zucchini
• 0.6 kg medium tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly grated black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves + extra sprigs
• 60 g Gruyere, grated

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Grease a 22 x 32 x 5 cm baking dish with olive oil. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet and cook the onion over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes into 0.5 cm thick round slices. Place them one by one in the dish on top of the onions, pressing firmly, in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, thyme leaves and sprigs, and drizzle with another 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil from the pan, discard the thyme sprigs, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for another 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.