Recipe: Classic Ratatouille

from Seeds of Solidarity

CLASSIC RATATOUILLE 

Ratatouille, a traditional French vegetable dish with eggplant, bell peppers, onions, squash and tomatoes, is an ideal side dish to serve with roasted fish or chicken, or over pasta or rice.

Ingredients

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence or oregano

1/4 teaspoon chile pepper flakes (optional), black pepper to taste

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and roughly chopped

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

2 small zucchini or summer squash, cut in 1-inch chunks

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes or equivalent fresh chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and set aside in a paper-towel-lined bowl while preparing the other vegetables.
Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, oil, garlic, herbes de Provence, chile flakes and pepper in a small bowl. Put the bell peppers, onions and zucchini into a large bowl and pour the oil mixture over them.
Pat eggplant dry with another paper towel and toss with vegetables, coating everything thoroughly.
Spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until golden and very soft, 30 to 35 minutes.
Put tomatoes into a large bowl and break them up using your hands or a spoon.
Add roasted vegetables and vinegar and stir well.
Cool to room temperature before serving, or cover and refrigerate overnight.