Tian provençal
Photo: Arnaud 25 · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

The word tian names both the vessel, a shallow glazed earthenware dish shaped like a truncated cone, and what is cooked in it; it comes from the Greek teganon, a frying pan. An 18th-century dictionary called it a lean stew. French sources place its origin in the Comtat Venaissin, the papal lands around Carpentras beside Avignon, whose cooks were known for their ways with fresh and dried vegetables.

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Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 1 hr 35 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 medium courgettes
  • 2 small aubergines
  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Soften the onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for 10 minutes and spread them over the base of an earthenware gratin dish.
  2. Slice the courgettes, aubergines and tomatoes into rounds about 5mm thick.
  3. Stand the slices upright in the dish in alternating rows, packed tightly.
  4. Season, scatter with thyme and pour over the remaining olive oil.
  5. Bake at 180°C for about 1 hour 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the edges browned; if the top colours too fast, cover it with foil.

Tip from the editors. A tian has no added liquid: if your tomatoes are watery, bake it a little longer so the juices reduce rather than pooling.

Where to eat tian provençal

Tian provençal in Avignon

Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Avignon. See where to eat Tian provençal in Avignon or the Avignon signature dishes guide.

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