This tasty gratin is one of our favorite vegetarian recipes. You can easily convert this recipe to vegan by choosing a dairy-free pesto and a casein-free soy or almond "mozzarella". Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/06/pesto-zucchini-tomato-gratin.html#ixzz3K994lgqL

2 cups Crunchy Gluten-Free Breadcrumbz or Cornbread Crumbs 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Fresh or dried Italian Herbs or basil/oregano/marjoram, to taste For the veggies- 3 medium zucchini, sliced in long pieces, 1/4 inch thick 5 cloves garlic, chopped A handful of halved artichoke hearts 4 tablespoons prepared Favorite Basil Pesto or Cilantro Pesto Recipe 2-3 vine ripe tomatoes, sliced thick 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 pinch sea salt, to taste Fresh ground black pepper, to taste 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (garlic marinated mozzarella rocks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a gratin dish or large pie plate. Place the toasted crumbs in a bowl and using a fork, toss with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to coat; season with Italian Seasoning or dried basil/oregano/marjoram. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the zucchini, garlic and artichokes, and sauté briskly just until the zucchini is a bit golden and still tender-crisp. Remove from heat and pour the veggies into a bowl to cool slightly. When cooled, gently toss the zucchini mixture with the prepared basil pesto, to coat. Layer the pesto veggies in the gratin dish or pie plate. Spread a scant third of the crumbs on the squash mixture. Layer with slices of mozzarella. Top with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with balsamic vinegar. Season with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the tomatoes. Bake the gratin until it is bubbly and hot, about 20-25 minutes. Serve as a side dish or on top of a bed of hot brown rice penne tossed with basil pesto. Serves 4.