Because its ingredients are so easy to find, ratatouille has become one of Provençal cuisine’s most beloved dishes. The essence of this dish lies in sautéing and simmering fresh vegetables cut into pieces.
The recipe for oven-baked ratatouille (a dish made of layered baked vegetable slices) is actually a modern interpretation rather than a classic method of preparation. However, because of the animated film “Ratatouille,” many people think the baked version created by the main character is the traditional recipe. Besides differences in preparation, there are also variations in ingredients: some versions include mushrooms, a carrot-tomato sauce, or potatoes with béchamel. Today, we will prepare the traditional ratatouille — a classic recipe.
Ingredients: tomatoes – 4; red bell peppers – 2; zucchini – 2; onions – 2; eggplant – 1; garlic – 4 cloves; fresh thyme – 4 sprigs; tomato paste – 2 tablespoons (optional); Provençal herbs – optional; olive oil – to taste; salt – to taste.
Preparation
Cut the tomatoes, red bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and eggplant into large pieces; peel and remove seeds from older vegetables if necessary. Chop the garlic.
Sauté the vegetables separately in olive oil with some fresh thyme until golden brown. Then combine all the vegetables in one pot, add 150 ml of water, add the chopped garlic, season with salt (add Provençal herbs and tomato paste if desired), and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
Tip
- Cook the ratatouille an additional 10–15 minutes with the lid off to make the dish more substantial.
- Sauté all the chopped vegetables together, or sauté each ingredient separately before combining them. Sautéing separately helps the vegetables retain their shape.
- Peel the tomatoes before simmering: cut a small cross in the top of each, plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds, then into ice water for 30 seconds; the skins will slip off easily.
- For an oven-baked version, arrange sliced vegetables in a baking dish over a sauce made from onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and bake for 30–40 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Carefully plate the finished dish so the vegetables look appealing when served.
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