Zucchini & Tomato Stripes

by Cindi Sutter, Founder & Editor  - Recipe by Sara S. Monick, Guest Tastemaker - a cooking instructor since 1977; Chef and culinary travel guide extraordinaire. She studied with Madeleine Kamman, Jacques Pepin, Nicholas Malgieri & Giuliano Bugialli.

Ingredients

3 medium onions

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb small Zucchini

3 lbs tomatoes, peeled

2 cloves garlic

Salt & Pepper

Fresh or dried thyme

1/2 cup gruyere or parmesan, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Peel onions and cut in half. Thinly slice and saute in olive oil until translucent. Do not brown. 

3. Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Seed tomatoes and cut into 1/4 inch slices. 

4. Rub the inside of an oval or rectangular shallow baking dish with garlic which has been cut in half. Cover the bottom of the dish with the sauteed onions. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Arrange alternating “stripes” of zucchini and tomato slices on top of the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme and drizzle with olive oil.

6. Bake until zucchini is tender pressing vegtables with a wide spatula two or three tmes during the baking. When vegetables are cooked, sprinkle with the cheese and place under the broiler to melt.