1️⃣ 🍆 3 medium eggplants (preferably long type)
2️⃣ 🥒 3 large zucchini
3️⃣ 🥔 4 medium potatoes (yellow-fleshed)
4️⃣ 🍅 6 ripe tomatoes or 500 g canned peeled tomatoes
5️⃣ 🧅 2 onions (Cosentine long onion or yellow onion), thinly sliced
6️⃣ 🌶️ 1 red bell pepper (optional)
7️⃣ 🧈 80 g mountain butter + 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8️⃣ 🧂 Salt and black pepper to taste
9️⃣ 🌿 Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley to taste
🔟 🧀 50 g semi-soft cheese or pecorino (optional)
1️⃣1️⃣ 🍋 Lemon zest (optional, for brightness)
Tiana di Verdure alla Cosentina (Baked Vegetable Tian) is a warm, sun-drenched homage to Calabria’s vegetable gardens. Imagine a shallow earthenware dish filled with neat, colorful rows of potato, eggplant, zucchini and tomato, slowly roasted until edges caramelize and flavors concentrate into a single, cozy melody. This is food that speaks of harvests, family tables, and the slow, comforting rhythm of southern Italian kitchens.
This article walks you through every decision: how to pick vegetables that hold their texture, why a short pan-sear gives better results, how to arrange layers for both beauty and flavor, and the small professional touches (a mandoline for perfect slices, a good baking dish, a hand blender for the tomato base) that turn a homey bake into a memorable center piece.
Adjustable mandoline — for uniform slices that bake evenly and look gorgeous.
Heavy terracotta baking dish or enamelled cast iron pan (30×20 cm) — terracotta gives gentle, even heat and authentic flavor; cast iron gives excellent crust.
Stand mixer (optional) — useful if you want to make an aromatic breadcrumb topping or whipped potato accompaniment.
High-power blender or food processor — to make a silken tomato base if you prefer (optional).
Frying pan — to lightly sauté and dry certain vegetables before layering.
Fine mesh strainer — to clarify tomato sauce if desired.
Sharp chef’s knife and sturdy cutting board — for clean, safe prep.
Aluminium foil or oven lid — for initial covered baking.
1️⃣ Mise en place and mood setting
Make space on your counter. Gather all vegetables, a large bowl, two towels, and your mandoline and frying pan. Preheat your oven to 190°C. Rinse vegetables and set a large pot of salted water if you plan to blanch the cabbage or any very firm vegetables. Good mise en place saves time and makes the entire process pleasurable.
2️⃣ Prepare eggplants to avoid bitterness and excess oil
Slice eggplants on the mandoline into 3–4 mm slices. Lay them in a colander or large bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit 20 minutes so they release excess moisture and any bitterness. You’ll see droplets form; press gently with a towel to remove. This step prevents soggy, oil-logged eggplant in the final tian.
3️⃣ Slice everything uniformly
Using the mandoline, slice potatoes and zucchini into even 3–4 mm rounds. For potatoes, keep them submerged briefly in cold water to remove starch this prevents mid-dish gluey textures then pat dry completely. Slice tomatoes into rounds or halve and pulp them for a looser sauce. Neat, consistent slices allow perfect, even cooking and a beautiful layered presentation.
4️⃣ Quick pan-sear for concentrated flavor (optional but recommended)
Heat a frying pan with a tablespoon of oil and a knob of butter. In batches, quickly sear eggplant slices 60–90 seconds per side until just golden. Do not fully cook through; the aim is color and to drive off some moisture. Transfer to paper towels to drain. For potatoes and zucchini, a very light toss in the hot pan for 30–60 seconds per side seals flavor and gives the final tian better texture. If you are short on time, you can skip this—but your final result will be less concentrated.
5️⃣ Make the tomato base that holds everything together
In a small saucepan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and gently sweat half the sliced onions until soft and translucent. Add crushed tomatoes or pulped fresh tomato flesh, a sprig of thyme or rosemary, a pinch of salt and cook on a gentle simmer 8–10 minutes until fragrant and slightly reduced. Taste for balance: a whisper of sugar can balance acidity, and a dash of lemon zest will brighten. Strain through a fine sieve if you want an ultra-smooth base.
6️⃣ Butter and oil the pan; start the first bed of flavor
Butter the bottom and sides of your terracotta dish or enamelled pan. Spoon a thin film of tomato base across the bottom — this protects the vegetables from sticking and serves as flavour glue. Scatter a few sliced onions and an herb or two to create a flavorful first layer.
7️⃣ Assemble artistically, layer by layer
Now build your tian intentionally. Place a single, slightly overlapping row of potatoes, then a row of eggplant, then zucchini, then tomato slices. Between each row, sprinkle a touch of salt, cracked black pepper, a few herb leaves and, if you like, a little grated cheese or a dusting of seasoned breadcrumbs. Press down gently with your palms to compact the layers — not so hard that you crush them, but enough to create contact for steam transfer. Repeat until the pan is nearly full. Top with the remaining tomato base, scatter small knobs of butter and an extra drizzle of oil for color.
8️⃣ Cover and bake for tender cohesion
Cover the pan with foil or a lid and bake at 190°C for 20 minutes. This trapped steam cooks the interiors through. You want the vegetables to begin to soften and release their juices without the top browning yet.
9️⃣ Uncover and finish to caramelized perfection
Remove the cover and return the tian to the oven for 25–35 minutes more. Watch the edges: they should bubble and caramelize, some tips turning deeply golden to chestnut. The top should be lightly browned and the interior tender but structured. If the surface is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil. At around the 35 minute mark check doneness with a skewer: potatoes should pierce easily but not disintegrate.
🔟 Rest, scent and finish
Take the tian from the oven and let it rest 8–10 minutes. Resting helps the juices redistribute so slices hold their shape when served. Just before serving, grate a little lemon zest over the top for brightness, scatter chopped parsley for color, and, if you used it, a small flurry of grated cheese for aroma.
1️⃣1️⃣ Serve warm, rustic and communal
Serve straight from the pirofila to the table. Offer crusty country bread to soak up juices and a carafe of fruity olive oil so guests can add an extra drizzle. The tian is best enjoyed the day it is made, but it often shines again the next day after flavors have mingled overnight.
Wine: pair with a medium red like Gaglioppo or a fresh white such as a local Greco di Bianco.
Texture play: add a crunchy topping of toasted breadcrumbs mixed with garlic and parsley right before serving.
Make-ahead: you can assemble the tian a few hours ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before baking.
For a smoky note: finish under a hot broiler for 2–3 minutes to char the edges slightly, watching closely.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: keep in airtight container up to 3 days.
Freezer: not recommended for best texture; if necessary freeze portions individually, up to a month.
Reheat: gently in an oven at 160°C covered for 15–20 minutes, or warm slices in a pan with a splash of water or stock.
The name tiana refers to a shallow terracotta baking dish and the cooking tradition of southern Italy and Provence. In Calabria, especially around Cosenza, the Tiana di Verdure developed as an efficient way to use the harvest: leftover vegetables, olive oil, a little cheese or breadcrumbs and a long, gentle oven roast that yielded a warming, shareable meal. The Cosentina variant emphasizes local onion varieties, the use of wholesome mountain butter, and sometimes a light dusting of local cheese for a golden crust. Historically this was a communal, practical dish—now it’s celebrated at family tables and small festivals as a representation of Calabrian garden cooking.
Baked Vegetable Tian Foto By Arnaud 25 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cosenza Calabria Italy Foto di Sara Darcaj su Unsplash
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