During a recent visit to my parent’s home in Maine, my mother showed me this easy but nourishing vegetable dish. She told me that she learned the dish from a neighbor on one of the many islands we used to vacation on in Greece.
The dish probably has its origin in the 19th century, from a time when few households had their own ovens and village women would take their casseroles to the local baker, who would cook them in his hearth.
This casserole makes use of the bounty of late summer: the juicy onions, ripe tomatoes and sweet squash are still in their prime, and local potatoes are just beginning. Of course, it tastes better if it’s made with all local, fresh ingredients.
In honor of its Greek origins, I like to serve this dish with Greek garnishes like olives, feta and red wine vinegar. The great thing about this casserole is that it is equally good eaten hot, room temperature or cold and makes a good omelet filling, sandwich spread or pizza topping.
Greek Summer Vegetable Casserole
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
⅓
cup extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅓ -inch slices
2 pounds summer squash, rinsed and sliced into ½-inch slices
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch slices
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into ⅓ -inch slices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR GARNISH:
For garnish:
½ cup coarse breadcrumbs
Red wine vinegar
⅓ cup pitted black olives
⅓ cup feta cheese
Chili flakes
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. Begin layering the vegetables in a Dutch oven. Place the potatoes, slightly overlapping in the bottom of the casserole. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Repeat this process with the onions, then the squash, then the tomatoes.
Cover the casserole and bake for 1 hour to 90 minutes. After an hour, use a skewer and pierce through the potatoes. The skewer should pass through easily. If not, bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve in the casserole with a large spoon, with all the garnishes in individual dishes.
