A Taste of the Mediterranean Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a traditional vegetable dish from Provence, in the south of France, where simple seasonal ingredients have always been at the heart of home cooking.

Originally a humble peasant dish, it was made to use up the summer harvest, ripe tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, onions and fragrant herbs. Slowly cooked in olive oil, the vegetables melt together, creating a rich comforting dish.

Over time, ratatouille has become a symbol of Mediterranean cuisine uncomplicated, honest and deeply connected to the land. It can be served warm or at room temperature, as a light main dish with crusty bread or as a rustic side to roasted meats and fish. Like many traditional recipes, it tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to develop.

Sauce

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

• 500 ml passata

• 4 tbsp red pepper chutney

• salt & pepper, to taste

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, parsley, thyme

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine

• 1 courgette

• 1/2 butternut squash

• 2 sweet potatoes

• 2 tomatoes

• 
  

Herbs seasoning

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, parsley, thyme

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 50 ml olive oil

• salt & pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C (180˚C Fan / 400˚F / Gas Mark 6). Slice the aubergine, tomatoes, squash, potato and courgette then set aside.

2. To begin making the sauce, heat olive oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft, then add the garlic and bell pepper and fry for about 10 minutes. Season to your liking, then add the tomato passata. Stir until fully incorporated. Remove from heat and add basil, parsley and thyme

3. Transfer the sauce from the pan into a round oven-proof dish with a lid. Smooth the surface of the sauce with a spatula. Arrange the sliced vegetables in alternating patterns (e.g. one slice of aubergine, tomato, squash, zucchini, potato then repeat) on top of the sauce, starting from the outer edge going into the middle of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

4. To make the herb seasoning, start by mixing the basil, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil together in a small bowl. Using a spoon, lightly cover the vegetables with the mixture. Put the lid on the pan and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the lid, then bake for another 20 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Serve whilst hot ratatouille can be a main dish or side.

Tip for reheating the next day

Reheat ratatouille gently over low heat, adding a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce. Stir occasionally and avoid high heat this helps keep the vegetables tender and the flavours rich without drying out.

Enjoy!

Find my other recipes on my Recipes Page

Did you make this?

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Mirisi Mediterana Ratatui

Prefino jelo od povrća koje može biti i glavno jelo a i odličan prilog raznim pečenjima. Jednostavno, mirisno i puno ukusa, ovo jelo spaja najbolje od mediteranske kuhinje sezonsko povrće, maslinovo ulje i blage začine koji mu daju posebnu toplinu.

Vremenom je ratatouille postao simbol mediteranske kuhinje jednostavan, iskren i duboko povezan sa zemljom. Može se služiti topao ili na sobnoj temperaturi, kao lagano glavno jelo sa hrskavim hlebom ili kao rustični prilog pečenjima i ribi.

Sos

• 4 kašike maslinovog ulja

• 1 veliki luk

• 4 čena belog luka

• 1 crvena paprika, narezana na kockice

• 1 žuta paprika

• 500 ml dunsta (passate)

• 4 kašike ajvara

• sol i biber, po ukusu

• 1 kašika naseckanog svježeg bosiljka, peršuna i majčine dušice

Od povća je potrebno

• 1 patliđan

• 1 tikvica

• 1/2 bundeve

• 2 slatka krompira ili jedan veći

• 2 paradajza

Za preliv od začinskog bilje je potrebno

• 2 kašike naseckanog svežeg bosiljka, peršuna i majčine dušice

• 1 čen belog luka

• 50 ml maslinovog ulja

• sol, biber

Priprema

1. Zagrijati pećnicu na 200˚C (180˚C Ventilator / 400˚F / Plinska oznaka 6). Oprano povrće patliđan, paradajz, bundevu, krompir i tikvicu iseći na kolutove pa ostaviti sa strane.

2. Pripremiti sos, zagrijati maslinovo ulje u tavi i popržiti sistno seckan luk dok ne omekša, zatim dodati beli luk (sitno iseckan) i papriku isečenu na kockice i pržiti oko 10 minuta. Začiniti po želji, pa dodati dunst (passatu od rajčice/paradajza). Mešati dok se potpuno ne sjedini. Skloniti s vatre i dodati sitno iseckan bosiljak, peršun i timijan.

3. Pripremljen sos sipati u okruglu posudu sa poklopcem za pećnicu. Pripremljeno narezano povrće naizmjenično slagati dok se iskoriste svi sastojci. Posoliti, pobireti i posuti sa maslinovim uljem. Poklopiti i staviti u prethodno zagrijanu rernu, peći 40 ak minuta. Otklopljeno peći još 20-ak minuta dok povrće ne omekša i suvišna tečnos ispari.

4. U međuvremenu pripremiti začinsko bilje sve zajedno iseckati i pomešati, posoliti i pobiberiti. Pre služenja Ratatouille posuti sa ovim finim aromatičnim prelivom.

Savet

Ratatouille je često još ukusnije dan posle pripreme. Podgrevajte ga lagano na tihoj vatri, uz malo maslinovog ulja ili par kašika vode, kako bi povrće ostalo sočno, a ukusi se dodatno povezali.

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