Ratatouille is a classic French dish that is bursting with flavor and is loaded with healthy farm fresh vegetables. It’s a versatile recipe that can be enjoyed as a main course for vegetarians or as an accompaniment to meat dishes for everyone else. This recipe features a combination of eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, onions, and garlic, all cooked in a tomato-based sauce and flavored with fragrant herbs like rosemary, thyme, and savory. With a dash of lavender flowers for a touch of sophistication, this ratatouille recipe is sure to impress your taste buds. So let’s get started on this delicious culinary journey!
Ratatouille Recipe Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Eggplant(s), medium-large | 1 |
| Zucchini, medium-large | 2 |
| Pepper(s), red, large | 2 |
| Pepper(s), yellow, large | 2 |
| Tomatoes, peeled, large can/s | 1 |
| Vegetable onion(s), large | 1 |
| Garlic, fresh, cloves | 4 |
| Rosemary, fresh, chopped | 1 teaspoon |
| Thyme, fresh, chopped | 1 tbsp |
| Sage, fresh, chopped | 1 tbsp |
| Lavender flowers, dried and crushed | 1/2 tsp |
| Sugar, heaped | 1 tsp |
| Olive oil | 100ml |
| Sea salt and black pepper, from the mill | To taste |
| Tomato paste, 1/2 tube/s |
Preparation:
- Wash all the vegetables and trim them. Cut the eggplant and zucchini into bite-sized pieces. Roughly dice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Wash and chop the herbs. Salt the aubergine pieces and let them stand for at least 10 minutes, then dab them thoroughly.
- In a large, high-sided pan, heat the olive oil. Fry the onions and zucchini in it, add the peppers and finally add the eggplant. Fry vigorously for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and stir it in, add salt and pepper. Add the garlic and herbs, the peeled tomatoes, and the sugar. Set the stove to medium-high and let the ratatouille simmer for about 20 minutes. Add some water if necessary. The vegetables should still have some bite.
- Once the ratatouille is cooked, adjust the seasoning as per taste and serve it with a piece of baguette or rice as a main course for vegetarians. As an accompaniment to meat dishes, it pairs well with lamb or beef.
- The vegetables in the recipe can be modified as per preference. You can also add mushrooms from time to time when making the ratatouille as a “main course.”
- The recipe calls for dried and crushed lavender flowers, but you can leave them out if you don’t like the taste. Dried herbs also work, but fresh ones are simply better.
Preparation time for the Ratatouille is about 30 minutes and cooking/baking time is approximately 35 minutes, making the total time required for the recipe around 1 hour 5 minutes.
