French Ratatouille

By Culiora

Classic Provençal ratatouille where each vegetable is sautéed separately to preserve its texture and flavor before everything simmers together in a rich tomato sauce. Packed with aromas from fresh herbs, garlic, and a generous pour of good olive oil. Serve warm with crusty country bread or as an accompaniment to fish and meat.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cook time: 50 min
• Total time: 75 min

Ingredients

• 1 pcs large eggplant, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 pcs medium zucchinis, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 1 pcs red bell pepper, cored and cut into 2 cm pieces
• 1 pcs yellow bell pepper, cored and cut into 2 cm pieces
• 1 pcs large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 clove garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 500 g ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and roughly chopped (or 1 can good-quality crushed tomatoes)
• 4 tbsp good-quality olive oil
• 3 pcs fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 pcs bay leaf
• 1 pcs fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1 dl fresh basil, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Toss the eggplant cubes with 1/2 tsp salt in a colander and let drain for 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture and bitterness. Pat the pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Sauté the eggplant until nicely golden brown and starting to soften, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate.
3. Add another 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Sauté the zucchini over high heat for 4–5 minutes until lightly browned but still tender-crisp. Remove and transfer to the plate with the eggplant.
4. Pour in 1/2 tbsp olive oil and sauté the red and yellow bell peppers over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until slightly softened and lightly blistered. Transfer to the same plate.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Cook the yellow onion slowly for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 1 minute without letting it color.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Let the sauce simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper.
7. Gently fold all the sautéed vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, peppers) into the tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially with a lid, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until all the vegetables are completely tender but not mushy. Stir gently now and then to prevent scorching at the bottom.
8. Discard the thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Stir in the fresh basil just before serving and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired.