Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a traditional French Provencal stewed vegetable dish. The full name of the dish is Ratatouille niçoise.

The word Ratatouille comes from "touiller," which means to toss food. Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Nice. It was, originally, a poor farmer's dish, prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables. The original Ratatouille Niçoise did not contain eggplant. Instead, it used only zucchini (courgettes), tomatoes, green and red peppers (bell peppers), onion, and garlic. The dish known today as Ratatouille adds eggplant (aubergine) to that mixture.

After the movie release of 'Ratatouille' (about a rat named Remy who dreams of being a chef) everyone wants ratatouille. The movie takes an old classic and changes it into a fine gourmet meal of crisp thinly sliced vegetables in a sticky perfect tomato sauce. This is a delightful change from the original soggy chunky veggies in a watery tomato sauce. Granted, the original will always be better for some.

I like to think I've found a balance between the two, and in an attempt to please both palates, I have come up with this;

Ingredients:

x1 Onion - finely chopped
x3 Cloves of Garlic - chopped
x1 Tin of tomatoes
Dash of olive oil
x1 small eggplant - thinly sliced
A few courgettes - thinly sliced
A few Patty Pans - thinly sliced
x1 Red Pepper - thinly sliced
x1 Yellow Pepper - thinly sliced
x1 Green Pepper - thinly sliced
Handful of fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar
Parmesan
Dash of white wine

In some olive oil, lightly fry onions and some of the garlic until soft, add a dash of wine and stir. Remove onions and into the remaining juices add the tin of tomato, grind of salt & pepper, remaining garlic and a couple pinches of sugar to cut the tartness. Let cook until consistency becomes thicker and the flavour becomes rounder. Simmer.

In an oven casserole dish, spoon a layer of tomato mixture evenly into base and arrange alternating veggies over that in a ring formation. If required, repeat the process for another layer (depending on how you want to serve this, one can put sheets of dry lasagna between the layers). Grate Parmesan over the top, sprinkle finely with cut basil and pop in the oven for 20 minutes with lid on.

Take lid off and bake for a further 20 minutes, Grill for 5 minutes to crisp the top veggies. Serve!

This can be served with any carbohydrate, rice, couscous or even mash. Or alternatively with pasta or just as it is.