Ratatouille is a classic one pot celebration of summer vegetables. Although it’s a simple recipe, with humble ingredients, it’s all about timings and getting the vegetables cooked just right. Spongey, undercooked aubergine is the reason many people don’t like it. Aubergine should be silky and soft, and almost melt in the mouth and then it’s absolutely stunning! Serve with some good bread and a glass of red. We often add a drained tin or two of white beans or lentils to this summer stew to boost the protein and make it an even heartier meal.
Why not make a double or triple batch and get some in the freezer for a busy day? You could even blend some for a quick summery soup or a flavoursome pasta sauce.
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 4-6)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 aubergine
- 2 courgette
- 2 red pepper
- 4-6 tomatoes (or 12 cherry tomatoes, or a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes)
- 6 cloves of garlic – peeled and diced
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- basil to taste
Method
- Pre-heat your oven to 200C.
- Chop the aubergine and peppers into bite sized pieces. Put them in a deep roasting dish and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Season well with salt and pepper, mix with your hands to evenly coat the vegetables in the seasoning. Then put the dish in the oven to roast for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and add the courgettes and tomatoes, also cut into bite sized pieces.
- Add the garlic, red wine vinegar and a little more salt and pepper. Mix well and return to the oven for another 20 minutes or until everything is well cooked.
- Stir through lots of freshly torn basil and serve in bowls with fresh bread. Or it’s lovely with pasta or potatoes. Bulk it out and add protein with a drained tin of white beans or green lentils.
