Ratatouille

Ratatouille

Ingredients:
•    1 large 28 oz tinned tomatoes
•    1 medium eggplant cut into cubes
•    1 large orange, red or yellow pepper cut into chunks *see note below
•    1 medium green zucchini cut into cubes
•    1 medium yellow zucchini cut into cubes
•    1 large sweet potato
•    1 medium onion
•    olive oil – some to roast the veggies in and some for the garlic and onions in the pot
•    ¼ tsp sea salt to sprinkle on veggies as they are roasting
•    4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
•    ¼ chopped fresh basil *see note below
•    ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
•    1 tsp dried oregano
•    Fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Toss the cubed eggplant and zucchini with a couple tablespoons of the olive oil along with the ¼ tsp of salt and place on a baking sheet

3. Using a second baking sheet, toss the peppers, and sweet potato with olive oil and salt

4. Place the eggplant sheet on the middle rack and the other veggies on top wrack.

5. Roast for 15 min

6. While veggies are roasting, use a large soup pot, warm olive oil and add garlic stirring constantly. Add in your onion and cook until translucent

7. Add in your tomatoes and simmer gently on medium heat

8. After your timer goes off, switch the tray positions. The eggplant/zucchini  won’t need as much time - maybe 5 more minutes but leave the peppers and sweet potato in until they start to caramelize – maybe 10 more minutes

9. Add the eggplant to the pot.

10. Now add the peppers and sweet potato to the pot

11. Stir in fresh basil (or dried if you don’t have fresh), red pepper flakes, dried oregano and season with salt and pepper

12. Simmer allowing the flavours to come together
Serve in bowls and can top with chopped fresh basil or if you have cheese eaters at your table, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

I served with fresh bread.

Note: I didn’t have fresh tomatoes, so I used tinned.  And since I didn’t have pepper, I added sweet potatoes.
I have also done this a totally different way by cutting the veggies into circles and making a spiral effect in the pan by alternating the veggies, tomatoes and sauce.
I will make this for you using my home grown eggplant and zucchini (once ready of course) and will post a photo! It is a work of art!

Fun food fact:
Ratatouille originated in the 18th century in the Provencal region of Nice, France. It is known as peasants stew created by the poor farmers to use up the summer harvest and often included old vegetables so as nothing was wasted. The verb touiller, means “to stir up.”  

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