Summer Vegetable Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tbsp. + 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 large eggplant, sliced ​​into 0.5 cm thick circles.
• 1 large zucchini, sliced ​​into 0.5 cm thick circles.
• 1 large zucchini, sliced ​​into 0.5cm thick rounds.
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced ​​into 0.5 cm thick circles.
• 0.5 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 4 large leaves of fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 1 French baguette or other crusty bread, for serving
• Special equipment: 1.5-quart oval or rectangular casserole dish

Preparation:

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Combine shallots, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon thyme on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring halfway through, until lightly caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Let the shallots cool.
3. Place racks on 2 baking sheets. Evenly distribute the eggplant, zucchini, and squash on the racks. Sprinkle the vegetables with 1.5 teaspoons of salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.
4. Press the vegetables firmly with a kitchen towel to remove excess water. Remove the racks from the baking sheets and shake off any excess water and salt. Transfer the vegetables to the baking sheets. Add the tomatoes to one of the baking sheets. Toss each vegetable with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of thyme, and salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Assemble one stack of vegetables on a baking sheet. Start with 1 tomato slice, top with 1-2 zucchini slices depending on their size, 1-2 zucchini slices, and then 1 eggplant slice. The zucchini and zucchini slices should take up the same amount of space as the tomatoes and eggplant; if they are smaller, stack them two at a time. Place the stack on its side in the baking dish on top of the caramelized shallots. Continue stacking and adding them to the dish, arranging them in a spiral from the edges to the center. If there are extra vegetables, add them to the center of the dish at the very end. Sprinkle with fontina and Parmesan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown, 35 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 15 minutes.
6. Garnish with basil and serve with bread.
   
   

   Note

   
   You can use either regular eggplants or graffiti eggplants.
   A mandoline grater will help you carefully cut vegetables into circles.
   While baking, the vegetables will release delicious juices, which you can dip the bread in and enjoy.