Cheesey Vegetable Gratin

This dish was the star of a Christmas party buffet, and local caterer Debra Phillips was kind enough to share the recipe with me. This is a great entree for a vegetarian meal or side dish for meat or poultry.  It is easy to make ahead and bake later; so perfect for delivering to a friend.  You can double or triple the ingredients to fill a larger baking pan.  Debra didn’t give specific amounts, so feel free to adjust my measurements to suit your taste.

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion

2-3 large cloves garlic, chopped

Dried Italian  herbs seasoning, 1 Tbs. (or more)

4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 ” thick

salt and pepper

6 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or more)

1 cup (+) Dried bread crumbs (Progresso Panko crispy bread crumbs Italian style!)

Spray casserole with oil.  Saute the chopped onion in the oil until soft, then add the chopped garlic along with the Italian herbs and salt and pepper and cook for another minute or two.  In a  medium size casserole dish, layer the sliced zucchini, 1/2 the onion mixture,1/2 the  chopped tomatoes, 1/2 the shredded cheese and 1/2 the bread crumbs.  Repeat the layers.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees covered, then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes or so . The cheese should be melted and the vegetables soft.  (I prefer the zucchini with a bit of a crunch left)  Serves 4.

Note: Lots of ways to vary this recipe. You could add sliced portobello mushrooms, or red peppers, or use chopped fresh herbs.  If using plain dried bread crumbs, I would mix them with a little melted butter.