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Recipe: Ratatouille

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The first thing that comes to mind when you hear this word is probably the animated movie of a mice that worked with a young chef to become a chef. However, did you know that Ratatouille is actually a vegetarian French dish that is enjoyed by many?

Ratatouille uses a lot of vegetables like eggplant and zucchini and has no meat at all, but even if you love meat, you won’t be disappointed by this dish.

Ingredients (serves 8):

  • 2 medium-sized eggplants
  • 2 yellow squashes
  • 6 Roma tomatoes
  • 2 zucchinis

(For the sauce)

  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 red capsicum, finely diced
  • 1 yellow capsicum, finely diced
  • 1 can of crushed tomatoes
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves (about 8 to 10 leaves, finely chopped)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

((For the herb seasoning)

  • 8 to 10 chopped basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation Method:

  1. Slice the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes for about 1mm circle and set aside. You want the vegetables to be about the same size and thickness.
  2. To make the sauce, heat the oil over medium heat. Use a pan that is about 12-inch deep. Sauté the onion, garlic and capsicum for about 10 minutes until they slightly wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to add the can of crushed tomatoes. Stir until all the ingredients are fully combined. Add more salt and pepper if you feel the need to. Remove the sauce from the heat and add in the fresh basil. Stir one last time and set aside for it to cool slightly. Smoothen the top of your sauce using the back of a wooden spatula.
  3. To prepare your Ratatouille, arrange the vegetable on top of the sauce in alternate patterns, i.e. eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato and repeat. Start from the outer part of the pan and make your way inwards until you reach the centre of the pan. Once you are done, season the vegetables with salt and pepper, cover the pan with aluminium foil and bake it in the oven at 190°C for 40 minutes.
  4. Remove the aluminium cover and bake for another 20 minutes. While waiting, mix all the herb seasoning ingredients in a bowl and pour it over the cooked Ratatouille.
  5. Serve it on individual plates and enjoy!