Ratatouille (Recipe)

Ratatouille is a classic vegetable stew and can either be served as a side dish or as a meal on its own (accompanied by pasta or bread).  There are a thousand ways of making Ratatouille right from throwing everything into a pot together and baking it right to the other end of the spectrum and cooking each vegetable separately.  One thing each method has in common is the ingredients:  Tomato, Onion, Garlic, Sweet Peppers, Aubergine and Courgette…. oh and its delicious.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
Salt
1 Medium Eggplant (Aubergine), Chopped into 1-inch chunks
3 Zucchini (Courgette), halved lengthwise and then sliced thickly.
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 green bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 Medium Onion, Sliced
4 Garlic Cloves 
2 Cans diced tomatoes (or several fresh tomatoes cut into chunks)
1 tbsp dried Oregano
1 tbsp dried Basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional) 

Instructions

1) Place Eggplant into a colander and sprinkle with salt.  Set aside 20-30 minutes then rinse.

2) Saute the Eggplant and Zucchini together in a large skillet over med-high heat with butter.  Stir occasionally while vegetables cook – about 10 minutes.  Set aside.

3)  Pour a plash of oil into skillet and add Sweet peppers.  Saute 3-4 minutes then add to reserved vegetables.

4)  In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add onion and Garlic and saute until onions are soft.

5)  Add tomatoes, a dash of salt, pepper, and herbs to the stock pot.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. 

6)  Add reserved vegetables and simmer a further 10 to 15 minutes.

7)  Stir in balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.

Serves: 6 

Elizabeth Lampman

Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!