Greek Briam
(Greek version of our Domino Stacked veggie’s)
In an oven proof pan about 12-14 inches in diameter:
(PAELLA pans work great)
- Saute 2 diced onions in
- ½ cup olive oil, slowly until they smell sweet
Add:
This is the pre bake "Weeknight" version. For company, take the time to make a beautiful alternating spiral of the vegetables.
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
Cook 3 min. to mellow the garlic
Add:
- 1 qt diced tomatoes (leave the skin on)
Gently cook for 3 minutes then turn off the heat.
Prep the rest of the veggies:
- Slice four small to medium sized (About 2-3" in. diameter) zucchini into ¼" rounds (if the seeds are big-remove them and make sure the skin isn’t tough).
- Slice six medium potatoes into ¼ inch slices.
- Cut one large onion in half and then into ¼ inch slices.
Toss all the veggies in a large bowl with:
- ½ cup olive oil (don't skimp)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbs dried oregano
- 1 tsp minced rosemary (2 tsp if your family likes Rosemary)
- 1 pinch of dried red pepper for a little sparkle -not heat.
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- 3 minced garlic cloves
For a party presentation:
Start on the outer edge of your round, oven proof pan that holds the slightly cooked tomatoes and onions.
Create concentric rings of alternating pieces of:
- Zucchini
- Potato
- Onion
Working your way to the center.
Parchment works wonderfully to preserve the moisture during the bake and will not corrode in tomato acid as does foil.
OR…For a weeknight dinner, save the fuss and just pour all the olive oil and herb-tossed veggies into the paella pan and gently flatten them out so the layers are even over the top of the cooked tomato base.
The Bake
- Dice up another quart of tomatoes and sprinkle those over the top
- Make a tent of foil over the pan and crimp the edges, don’t let the foil touch the veggies. Or if you’re like me, use a large sheet of parchment paper wrapped over the top and under the pan to hold it in place.
- Bake in a 400° oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil or parchment and bake another 35 minutes. One hour twenty minutes in total.
You want it to look well roasted on top with most of the liquid cooked off. A little sprinkle of Feta on top is a nice touch. Serve it fresh out of the oven or cold the next day.
The juices meld with the olive oil and infuse the vegetables, the water bakes away, the rosemary and oregano bloom and magic happens.