Ratatouille

Ratatouille, a classic Provençal dish, is a vegetable medley that transcends simplicity with its vibrant flavors and rustic charm. This French culinary masterpiece features an array of colorful vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes, slow-cooked to tender perfection. Infused with aromatic herbs like thyme and rosemary, and often enriched with garlic and olive oil. Ratatouille exemplifies the essence of Mediterranean cuisine. I decided to make a video on this inspired by the movie ratatouille.

Importance of even sized vegetables

The importance of using even-sized vegetables in Ratatouille lies in achieving uniformity in cooking, ensuring that each component is tenderized evenly. Uniform cuts allow for consistent cooking times, preventing some vegetables from becoming overly mushy while others remain undercooked. This meticulous attention to size also contributes to the dish’s visual appeal, as the even distribution of colors and shapes creates a visually pleasing presentation. The result is a Ratatouille where each vegetable maintains its integrity, offering a symphony of textures and flavors that showcase the freshness and quality of the ingredients. Ultimately, the significance of even-sized veggies in Ratatouille extends beyond aesthetics, impacting the dish’s overall taste and culinary experience.

Ratatouille

Prep: 1 hour hr

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Ratatouille is a French vegetable dish popularized by the movie ratatouille.

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Ingredients 

For Sauce

• 6 small tomatoes on vine, (about 1 lbs)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 shallot
• ½ yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Remaining ingredients

• 5 roma tomatoes
• 2 yellow squash, (I couldn't find any so just left it out)
• 2 zucchini
• 1 eggplant
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt

Instructions 

Sauce

• Cut your bell peppers in half, then roast in the oven on the broiler at high heat until the skin is charred (about 10 minutes)
  2 red bell peppers
• Let it rest then remove the charred skin and dice up the peppers into small pieces.
• Using a knife, make an "x" on one end of the tomatoes.
  6 small tomatoes on vine
  
• Place them into boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
• Remove from the boiling water and place into ice water.
• Remove the skin from the tomatoes.
  
• Cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
• Into a pan oven medium heat add olive oil, rough chopped onions, shallots, and garlic. Stir 1 minute.
  1 shallot, ½ yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
• Add our diced peppers and tomatoes along with thyme. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  1 tbsp thyme
  
• Blend everything together to create our sauce. It should be a thick pizza sauce consistency. Season with salt
  1 tsp salt

Remaining steps

• Thinly slice your vegetables about 1-2 mm thick. A mandolin is the fastest way to do so but I find using a knife is most accurate and consistent. You also want your vegetables to be all about the same size.
  5 roma tomatoes, 2 yellow squash, 2 zucchini, 1 eggplant
• Layer the bottom of your pan with sauce. I used a pan 10 inches in diameter.
• Arrange your vegetables alternating and leaving ⅛ inch between each piece.
  
• Once your pan is full, drizzle over olive oil, and salt.
  ½ tsp pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt
• Cover the top with parchment paper then into the oven at 375F for 30-45 minutes. The vegetables should be soft.
  

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, French

If you enjoyed this, check out some more from the Christmas series here:

• Five spice pork belly bao
• Matcha tiramisu