Crespeou Provencal Picnic Fare
This dish is not complicated, despite the number of steps. You can use whatever ingredients you prefer in the layers. Serve with the tomato sauce and a green salad. Alternates for ingredients: roasted red pepper, mushrooms, ham, cheese, pesto - just make sure to choose one ingredient per layer
Ingredients
- 16 large eggs
- 2 cups tomato sauce Fresh or Canned
- 2 cups zucchini (courgette) shredded
- 1 1/2 cups black olive tapenade
- 2 cans cod (brandade, in French) You can use tuna if you prefer.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- basil leaves A few
- 1 small onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
Instructions
Prepare Layers
- Prepare your tomato sauce in advance (see below) and blend or use good quality canned. Preheat your oven to 310 F (160 C)
- Finely shred the zucchini and turn lightly in a pan with some olive oil for 3-4 minutes
- Put the zucchini in a colander and allow to drain the liquid
- In four separate bowls place the Tomato Sauce, Zucchini, Tapenade and Brandade. You will work each colour (or layer) at a time
- Lightly oil a shallow frying pan and turn it on to medium-high. Lighly oil a glass baking dish and put a layer of parchment paper in the bottom of the dish.
- Beat two eggs and add ½- 3/4 cup of tomato sauce, mix well
- Turn the mixture into your pan and cook quickly to a very soft scrambled egg consistency. Pour the mixture into the glass dish and spread evenly in one layer
- Repeat the same sequence for the zucchini, tapenade and brandade
- One you have done one layer of each mixture start again with the tomato mixture and follow the same layering pattern - you will have a total of 8 layers
- Once complete put a piece of parchment paper on the top, to avoid the dish from drying out. Put the casserole in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes - while it is cooking prepare tomato sauce for the side
- The dish is ready when a test knife comes out clean. Loosen the edges and place a plate over the dish and flip over, it should slide out
Tomato Sauce
- Lightly score the skin of 6 tomatoes, place in a bowl
- Pour boiling water over top and rest for 1-2 minutes. Remove the skin, it should peel easily
- Cut the tomatoes in two and remove the seeds
- Chop tomatoes into big chunks
- Finely chop the onion
- Peel and crush the garlic
- In a lightly oiled pan, cook the onion and garlic until soft, not brown. Add the tomatoes and allow to cook
- Add the basil and salt and pepper
- Serve the tomato sauce as an accompaniment to the crespeou
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