There’s this cartoon movie about a rat who knows his way around a kitchen and figures out how to “drive” a bumbling human into creating culinary masterpieces. The climax of the movie sees our rodent friend crafting a classed-up version of this peasant dish for a cantankerous restaurant critic who upon taking one bite is sent reeling back to his childhood. Where we can’t promise life-altering flashbacks, we can briefly transport you to Provence.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, diced
- 3 tsp salt, divided
- 4 medium tomatoes, diced
- 8 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 green bell peppers, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium zucchini, diced
- 3 medium yellow squash, diced
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 1 Tbsp dried thyme
- ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
How to Make It
- In a large colander over a plate, combine eggplant and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- In a separate colander over a plate, combine tomatoes and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Allow these to rest for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the remainder of ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Place a large skillet (or even better, a wok) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add onions and 1 teaspoon of salt, and sauté for 4-6 minutes, or until the onions are limp. Add the peppers and continue to sauté for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until the peppers are soft. Add the tomatoes and garlic and continue to sauté for 4-6 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and wipe out the skillet.
- Add 6 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. When the oil shimmers, add eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and sauté until the outsides of the vegetables have softened a bit, about 6-8 minutes.
- In the same large mixing bowl with the onions, peppers, and tomatoes, mix in the eggplant and squashes, along with the dried herbs. Pour the mixing bowl contents into a baking dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and roast in the oven for 3 hours. Remove the ratatouille from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, and serve hot or warm.
