Provençal Ratatouille Recipe
The traditional ratatouille recipe calls for vegetables to be browned in olive oil in a frying pan, each one separately, without peeling them at all. All the vegetables are cooked with their skins to preserve the maximum taste. Then, they are mixed and confit together in an earthenware casserole.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 kg tomatoes the fleshy kind, ripe
- 8 zucchini (courgette)
- 6 eggplants (aubergine) or 4 big ones depending on size
- 2 large red peppers
- 1 green pepper
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 branches thyme
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 yellow onions
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Preparation of the peppers:
- After seeding the red and green peppers, cut them into thin sections without removing the skin. Blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes to make them more digestible. Remove them from the water when slightly softened. Drain the water over a colander.
- Meanwhile, trim the eggplants into cubes (leave their skin on). First, cut them in the direction of their length, then cut perpendicularly to get dice.
- Peel and crush two garlic cloves.
- Wash and chop the parsley.
- Lightly heat half a cup of olive oil in a skillet. (Preferably a Provençal olive oil!)
- When the pan is hot but not too hot (because the olive oil loses its beneficial qualities if it's burnt), sauté the aubergines with garlic and a large handful of parsley, stirring occasionally.
- Preparation of the tomatoes: Score the bottom of the tomatoes. Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for about 3-5 minutes to make peeling the skin easier.
- Wait until they cool to cut and seed them. You can fry the tomatoes with peppers or separately, still with olive oil and garlic. Stir occasionally.
- Slice the onions.
- In another pan, brown the onions with two tablespoons of olive oil, then add the peppers. After about 10 minutes, or as soon as the peppers have softened, add the tomatoes. Stir often to prevent the vegetables from clinging to the bottom of the pan.
- Remember to check the eggplant. It should brown a little on the flesh side. Remove the eggplant from the heat once it begins to brown.
Preparation of zucchini:
- Cut zucchini into cubes. Prepare two cloves of garlic again, and chop parsley.
- Brown zucchini cubes in a skillet over medium heat in the preheated olive oil. You can use a little less oil than for eggplant.
- Add the pressed garlic and a good handful of chopped parsley. Stir often. Add a spoon of olive oil to the zucchini if necessary.
- When the zucchini is browned, season with salt and pepper.
- Stop cooking already-cooked vegetables, and drain juices. Watch the others, as they must not be crisp.
Bake the ratatouille:
- When all the vegetables are cooked and drained, mix them in a casserole dish.
- Add thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
- Cover and simmer in the oven (150ºC or 300ºF) for at least two hours (minimum). Stir occasionally.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Several variants exist: Replace the thyme with basil or add onions, according to taste. Making a homemade ratatouille is not complicated, it's just a bit long, but it's worth it.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!