Founder of @Umami Sans Frontiรจres
For 4 to 6 people
For the Flan:
For the Tomato Sauce:
1/ Prepare the Vegetables: Peel the zucchini and cut it into small cubes. Finely chop the onion and garlic.
2/ Sautรฉ the Zucchini Mixture: Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic, onion, and zucchini, and sautรฉ over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3/ Chop the Basil: Finely chop the fresh basil leaves.
4/ Make the Egg Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, chopped basil, salt, and pepper.
5/ Combine and Mix: Add the sautรฉed zucchini mixture to the egg mixture and stir gently until well combined.
6/ Prepare the Baking Dish: Lightly coat the inside of a heatproof dish with olive oil. Pour in the zucchini mixture.
7/ Bake the Flan: Place the dish in an oven preheated to 180ยฐC (350ยฐF) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until set and golden.
๐ Homemade Tomato Sauce
8/ Chop Ingredients for the Sauce: While the flan is baking, finely chop the onion and garlic for the sauce.
9/ Sautรฉ the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and onion, and sautรฉ until fragrant.
10/ Simmer the Tomato Sauce: Once the onions become translucent, add the canned tomatoes and basil (or your preferred herbs such as bay leaf). Simmer gently over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
11/ Cool and Plate the Flan: Once the flan is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. At this stage, it should be golden on top and gently set in the dishโstill warm and fragrant from the oven. Let it cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.
Once cold, carefully remove the zucchini flan from the mold by flipping it out onto a plate or cutting board. Cut into portions and serve with the tomato sauce on the side, or spoon it over the top.
๐Enjoy It Your Way: Tips and Stories๐
โญ๏ธ Make Ahead for Best Flavor: If you’d like to serve the flan cold, we recommend making it a day in advance. Chilling it overnight helps the flavors blend beautifully and gives the flan a firmer, smoother texture.
โญ๏ธ Perfect for Light Meals or Side Dishes: This zucchini flan has a light and refreshing taste. Itโs perfect as a vegetarian main course for lunch, served with a simple salad ๐ฅ. You can also enjoy it as a side dish with meat or fish.
โญ๏ธ Basil Substitute Tip: No fresh basil? No problem! You can substitute it with chopped parsley for a different but equally fresh and herbaceous flavor ๐ฟ.
๐ฟ A Personal Note from Berlin
I first discovered this zucchini flan thanks to a French momโmy childโs friendโs motherโwho brought it along as part of a picnic by a lake in Berlin one summer โ๏ธ. She had made it the day before, served it cold at the beach, and I remember thinking, โHow elegant!โ It felt so effortlessly chic, especially for a simple packed lunch.
Perhaps this is something quite normal for the Frenchโฆ but for me, it was a little culinary inspiration ๐
. Since then, this flan has become a summer favorite in our familyโespecially loved by my elder daughter. On hot days, itโs the kind of light and satisfying dish we always come back to.
Founder of @Umami Sans Frontiรจres
