Roasted Ratatouille
This Provençal dish combines the best of summer’s bountiful nightshades—tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and zucchini—in a savory stew. This version simplifies the process without sacrificing any flavor and borrows a little of the presentation from a certain movie with the same name.
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Source: The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals: 100 Recipes to Live to 100
Ingredients
2 zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch rounds
1 eggplant (or 2 to 3 thin Japanese eggplants), cut into 1/8-inch rounds
1 teaspoon salt, divided 1⁄4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1⁄2 onion, roughly chopped
2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped, divided
4 sprigs oregano, leaves stripped and chopped, divided
1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, divided
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Put the zucchini and eggplant slices in a large bowl, sprinkle with half the
salt, and toss well. Add 1⁄4 cup of the oil and toss again to coat each slice
evenly. Set aside. - Put the bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, garlic, half the herbs, the remaining
salt, and the black pepper in a blender and run it until you have a smooth
puree. Pour half the puree into a wide, round casserole, spreading into an
even layer. - Arrange the zucchini and eggplant slices on top of the puree, alternating
slices to make a scalloped pattern, continuing until the whole dish is
covered. Pour the other half of the sauce over the top and spread it evenly,
then sprinkle on the rest of the herbs. - Bake for 40 minutes, remove from the oven, and drizzle on the rest of the
oil. Let it rest for 5 more minutes before serving.
Pairing suggestion: This is great with Not-Your-Mom’s Whipped Potatoes, Beans & Greens “Risotto”, or Spinach & Roasted Radicchio Salad With Chile-Maple Vinaigrette.
