Ratatouille

A Provencal vegetable stew of aubergine (eggplant), zucchini (courgette), bell peppers (capsicum), and tomatoes. Can be made as a rustic braise or arranged as the iconic confit byaldi (thinly sliced rounds). Brings together three dialect pairs from the catalog in a single dish: aubergine/eggplant, zucchini/courgette, and capsicum/bell pepper.

Ingredients

• 2 medium aubergines (eggplant), diced
• 2 medium zucchini (courgettes), diced
• 2 red bell peppers (capsicum), diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper (capsicum), diced
• 400 g cherry tomatoes or crushed canned tomatoes
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• Fresh thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
• Olive oil, salt, black pepper

Method

1. Sauté onions in olive oil 10 minutes. Add garlic. Cook 2 minutes.
2. Add bell peppers (capsicum). Cook 10 minutes.
3. Add aubergine (eggplant) and cook 10 minutes until softened.
4. Add zucchini (courgette), tomatoes, and herbs. Season.
5. Simmer uncovered 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and vegetables are very tender.

Tags: french, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, 75min, ratatouille, aubergine, eggplant, zucchini, courgette, capsicum, bell pepper, provencal