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Fall Vegetable Gratin with Herbed Orzo Pasta

  • Servings:

    Serves 8 as an appetizer

  • Prep Time:

    60 minutes

  • Cook Time:

    35 minutes

Ingredients

A gratin is a dish that's topped with cheese and/or bread crumbs, and then browned by baking in a hot oven or briefly broiling. Here the vegetables of late summer - eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes - are combined with the autumnal earthiness of portabella mushrooms and the rich flavors of asiago and parmesan cheeses. It's a hearty vegetarian dish that pairs well with orzo pasta flavored with herbs. Recipe maybe halved.
1 eggplant (about 1 lb.) ends trimmed, and sliced into 1/8" to 1/4" inch slices
1 Tbsp. Inspirations Basil Dipping Oil, divided
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped, divided
2 large portabella mushrooms (6-oz. pkg.) sliced into 1/8" to 1/4" inch slices
1 cup shredded Ferrari Asiago cheese
2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb.), ends trimmed and sliced into 1/8" to 1/4" inch slices
1/2 cup grated Ferrari Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 Tbsp. Inspirations Garlic Dipping Oil
3/4 cup bread crumbs, divided
3 large tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lb), cored and sliced into 1/8" to 1/4" inch slices
1 (1 lb.) box orzo pasta
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Fall Vegetable Gratin with Herbed Orzo Pasta

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13 inch baking pan with vegetable spray.
2. Cover bottom of dish with eggplant slices and drizzle with 2 tsp. Basil Oil. Sprinkle half the chopped onion over the eggplant.
3. Layer mushrooms on top of onions, sprinkle on Asiago cheese, and drizzle with remaining 1 tsp. Basil Oil. Layer on zucchini and top with remaining chopped onion.
4. In a small bowl, mix Parmigiano with Garlic Oil and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs. Sprinkle over onions.
5. Finally, layer tomatoes on top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, until vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Turn on broiler and broil 2 to 3 minutes or until top crumbs are lightly browned - watch carefully to make sure gratin doesn't burn.
7. While gratin bakes, prepare orzo. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a boil over high heat. When water boils, sprinkle in 4 tsp. salt, then add orzo. Stir and cook 7 to 9 minutes, until al dente.
8. To serve, place 1/2 cup orzo on each of six plates. Cut the vegetable gratin into eight pieces, reserving 2 for lunch. Top each orzo serving with a slice of gratin. Serve hot.
Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, September - October 2008

Nutrition

Nutritional Facts
Servings Serves 8
Base Nutrients
Calories 430 kcal (22%)
Calories from Fat 117 kcal (0%)
Total Fat 13 g (20%)
Saturated Fat 5 g (25%)
Cholesterol 15 mg (5%)
Sodium 310 mg (13%)
Total Carbohydrates 63 g (21%)
Dietary Fiber 7 g (28%)
Protein 17 g (28%)
Vitamins
Vitamin A n/a
Vitamin C n/a
Minerals
Calcium n/a
Iron 16 mg (89%)
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