Vegetables au Gratin with Hazelnuts
Vegetable Gratin with Hazelnuts and Parmesan – Vegetable Gratin with Hazelnuts
When the Parmesan melts in the oven and blends with the hazelnuts, it’s sure to delight any food lover. And then there’s the juicy vegetables hidden beneath that crispy layer—absolutely divine. In this recipe, we use mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions, but you can add other vegetables as you like. Benissimo!
Ingredients
1 onion
1–2 garlic cloves
1 kg large button mushrooms
½ bunch of parsley
1 can ORO di Parma chunky tomatoes
About 25 g chopped hazelnuts
About 50 g grated Parmesan*
Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
1 pinch of sugar
1 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Fat for the baking dish (e.g., butter)
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*Certain types of cheese (e.g., Parmesan) are made with animal rennet and are therefore not suitable for vegetarian dishes.
Step 1 : The Preparation
Chop the onions into large pieces, then finely chop the garlic and parsley. Next, clean the mushrooms and cut them in half. It’s been really easy so far. And the rest practically takes care of itself.
Step 2 : Searing
Take a large skillet—preferably a sturdy cast-iron skillet—and heat the olive oil in it over medium heat. Now sauté the onions and garlic in it. Next, add the mushrooms and sauté them vigorously. Simply deglaze the wonderfully fragrant mushroom-garlic-onion mixture with the chopped tomatoes. Once the sizzling has stopped, it’s the perfect time to stir in the parsley. Let the mixture come to a brief boil, then simmer gently over low heat for a while. Finally, season to taste with sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Step 3 : Baking with Cheese
Take two small oven-safe dishes (or one larger dish), lightly grease them, and fill them with the warm vegetables. Then mix the chopped hazelnuts with grated Parmesan and sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables—and pop them into the oven preheated to 200 °C.
Tip
HAZELNUTS
Italy is a hazelnut-producing country—in fact, it’s the second-largest producer in the world after Turkey. The rolling hills of the Piedmont region, in particular, are often lined with hazelnut bushes. No wonder “la nocciola” is so widely used in Italian cuisine—and not just in desserts. These nuts also add a special touch to savory dishes. Just like this one.
Step 4 : The Finale
After 8–10 minutes—or when the cheese is lightly browned—you can take your vegetable gratin out of the oven and enjoy it. So delicious!
Ingredients
1 onion
1–2 garlic cloves
1 kg large button mushrooms
½ bunch of parsley
1 can ORO di Parma chunky tomatoes
About 25 g chopped hazelnuts
About 50 g grated Parmesan*
Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
1 pinch of sugar
1 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Fat for the baking dish (e.g., butter)
-----
*Certain types of cheese (e.g., Parmesan) are made with animal rennet and are therefore not suitable for vegetarian dishes.
