Ratatouille has become popular ever since the Disney movie of the same name came out. Children have been asking their parents to make ratatouille; young adults have been curious to know what it tastes like; restaurants have seen an increase in requests. What is ratatouille anyway, though? Traditionally, ratatouille is aΒ vegetable stew consisting of onions, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. The version prepared in the movie is a different version of the recipe called confit byaldi, featuring thinly sliced vegetables over a bed of reduced peppers, onions, tomatoes, and herbs. That's the version we're going to be tackling today, usingΒ Le Creuset cookware!
Ingredients
2 eggplants
6 Roma tomatoes
2 yellow squashes
2 zucchinis
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
We used theΒ Carl Mertens Country 6" Chef's KnifeΒ to make quick work of the veggies.
- Preheat the oven for 375ΛF.
- Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini into thin rounds, then set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. We used some excellent Le Creuset cookware.
- SautΓ© the onion, garlic, and bell peppers for 10 minutes, or until soft.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes.
- Remove from heat, then stir in the chopped basil.
- Smooth the surface of the sauce with a spoon.
- Arrange the sliced veggies in alternating patterns on top of the sauce from the outer edge to the middle of the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover the pan and bake for 60 minutes, uncovering for the last 20.
- Spread chopped basil, chopped garlic and olive oil over the cooked ratatouille.
Serve while hot, and like many ratatouille dishes, it improves overnight in the fridge!
