Tian

This is one of my favourite dishes to make. This one also happens to be vegetarian but that's just a coincidence. I'm often asked to whip this one up when my dad is doing a roast or we've got a veggie coming over for dinner. I could happily eat this as a dish on it's own. It's flavoursome, healthy and fun to make.

Quantities can be altered depending on the number of people being served

Serves about 4 people (depending on the size of your appetite)
Ingredients:
3 medium courgettes 
Half a cabbage and/or some spinach or chard
1 large onion (white preferably)
2 garlic cloves
2/3 eggs
2/3 slices of bread or a leftover end of a loaf and one more slice
Cheese (preferably chedder or gruyere but anything similar - a hard cheese - is good)
Nutmeg, salt and pepper for seasoning

Prepare in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook in a vegetable dish

These are the dishes I have but a large saucepan is perfect and
any sort of ovenproof round or square dish for cooking

Preheat oven to 175C
1. Grate the courgettes - either by hand or in a food processor or magi-mix with grater attachment if you have such a thing. Place in a sieve or on some paper towel to drain the water out - I sprinkle some salt on at this point (although I've got to the point where it's automatic now and I can't remember why I do it)
2. Place the courgette/spinach/chard/other green vegetable of choice in a pan or steam to cook while preparing the other ingredients.
3. Chop the onion and garlic finely (crush the garlic if you prefer) and place in a heavy bottomed saucepan with some olive oil to soften but not brown. Keep stirring to stop any burning or food becoming stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the grated courgette to the onions and garlic and the other greens when they are ready (note: nothing needs to be completely cooked through or soft as you will be cooking the dish in the oven later to cook further)
5. Stir the vegetable mix allowing everything to cook for around 5 minutes before removing from the heat and breaking the eggs into the dish. Continue to stir, binding the ingredients.
6. Season with salt and pepper and some grated nutmeg (flavouring to taste)
7. Make some breadcrumbs by placing the bread slices into a food processor and allowing them to break down into fine pieces. 
8. Add some grated cheese to the breadcrumbs or place some cheese in the mixer with the bread and mix further. Feel free to add some mixed herbs to this mixture.
9. Finally, pour the vegetable mix from the saucepan into the oven dish and scatter the breadcrumbs on top, spreading evenly across the surface. Place in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until golden on top.

Bon Appetit!