No Longer a Side Dish: Ratatouille and all of it's Glory

The perfect summer blend of summer vegetables, and fresh herbs…

Ratatouille is only of those recipes I never actually knew existed until the movie and then continued to avoid because of the association with rats. But let me tell you, it’s so much more than that. It’s a blend of truly satisfying vegetables, sweet tomato sauce, fresh herbs and is meatless! It’s one of those recipes I’ve worked on randomly throughout the years, perfecting it each time. I tend to not follow recipes and just add portions that seem somewhat correct - and to a surprise it works out 80% of the time.

If there’s one item I deem a kitchen necessity it’s a cast iron skillet. Ratatouille is started on the stove and moved into the oven, so keeping it all in one pan minimizes the cleanup. Iron skillets, pans, whatever you want to call them, can be on the expensive side but trust me they’re an investment. They can last a lifetime and are very versatile - from pizzas, steaks, ratatouille, you name it.

This recipe is great for an over abundance of summer and fall vegetables but can honestly be made any time of year. Below is a list of ingredients with the amount for a serving of 4 to 6 people.

For the sauce:

1 can of crushed tomatoes (25 - 29 oz)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow)

1 white or yellow onion

4 garlic cloves

A few leaves of basil

A few leaves of parsley

Salt + pepper to taste

Optional: crushed red pepper for spice

Vegetables:

1 eggplant

2 heirloom tomatoes

1 or 2 yellow squash (depends on size)

1 or 2 zucchinis (depends on size)

Herb seasoning:

4 tablespoons of olive oil

2 garlic cloves

Handful of basil and parsley

Salt + pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash and zucchini into thin consistent slices about ¼ inch. Place them to the side.
Turn on the stove and wait for the cast iron pan to get hot before adding the olive oil. Once the oil heats, add in the onions and then peppers. Cook on medium-high heat until lightly seared. Next, add in the crushed tomatoes. Add in the minced garlic, chopped basil, parsley, salt, pepper and red pepper if desired (not too much, you don’t want to hide the other flavors).
Keep the sauce on medium-low heat stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes (the longer the better) but don’t burn it!!
While the sauce is cooking, start the herb seasoning. Chop the basil and parsley, mince the garlic and mix them in a bowl adding olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
Bring the cut up vegetables over and place them in the pan over the sauce stacked and spread. To make the process go faster, take one of each vegetable and make a stack in your hands to then place in the pan.
Next spread the herb seasoning over the vegetables (add any olive oil for browning) and place the pan in the oven. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 40 minutes. Uncover and cook for 20 more minutes. To get a crispier top broil on high for 2 minutes.
Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve straight from the skillet.

Ratatouille is supposed to be a side dish but I personally think it deserves it's own spotlight. Toss a salad and serve with spaghetti or meat and parmesan.

Enjoy!