Oven-Baked Ratatouille

 

A friend gave me a marrow the other day and said “Here, you can make something for your blog”…….um okay, thanks…..actually it only took a few minutes to think that I should use it in Ratatouille (instead of the courgettes). I hadn’t made it forever and fell in love with the dish thanks to the enthusiasm of a chef I used to work for. He used to teach us how to make rustic French dishes with such flair and passion that you couldn’t help but get excited and fall in love with them…..the best kind of teacher he was 🙂

Ratatouille (“rah-ta-too-ee” in English, and “rah-ta-twee” in French). The word Ratatouille comes from the french term “touiller,” which means to toss food. It originated in Nice, a peasant dish made by poor farmer’s and was prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables.
The original form of Ratatouille used only courgettes (zucchini), tomatoes, capsicums (bell peppers), onions, and garlic. Today eggplant (aubergine) is also added (YaY!).

In a more traditional version the sauce is made and then the vegetables thinly sliced and decoratively layered over the sauce, then baked in the oven. Because I’m a no frills kind of cook I went the chunky route, chopping my vegetables into chunks and browning them first, then folding them, with fresh herbs into my sauce. I then transferred the Ratatouille into a dish and baked it until the veggies were soft…….delish (if I do say so myself).

This is a perfect dish for avid gardeners, with it’s fresh veggies and herbs and enjoying it for dinner reminded me of the year I spent as a vegan (a proud year for me btw). I take my hat off to Vegans, luv you guys, you are just amazing human beings 🙂

 

INGREDIENTS

2 medium-sized capsicum / bell peppers (or 3 small)
3 large ripe tomatoes (or 6 medium-sized)
6 slices marrow (or 3 courgettes / zucchini)
1 large eggplant / aubergine
8 tablespoons light olive oil
1 small brown onion (1/2 medium-sized)
1 large clove garlic (or 2 small)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 x 400 gram tin whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (I used; oregano, thyme, majoram, italian parsley)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

 

Serves x 4 as a main and x 6 as a side-dish.

 

Notes

• If you have no red wine vinegar in your pantry in your and don’t feel you will use it often enough to buy any you can replace it with balsamic vinegar. You can also omit the sugar if you wish 🙂 Also I’ve used a light olive oil and extra virgin but if you don’t have both you can just use whatever you have, one or the other.
• The more colourful the vegetables the better. Yellow courgettes are great or use one green and one yellow. Also a mix of red and yellow bell peppers look much yummier than just one colour.
• If you are using marrow like I did try not to use one that is too big. Marrows that are larger than your forearm can have very tough skin, even after cooking for long periods.
• I used Beefsteak tomatoes as they are large, meaty and very flavoursome. Vine-ripened tomatoes taste great too. Plum, low acid and Roma tomatoes also taste good and have less seeds and firmer flesh for cooking.
• Traditionally only fresh thyme is used but I used a mixture because I love herbs and have a herb garden.

 

WALKTHROUGH

Before you start wash and thoroughly dry the eggplant, the marrow (or the courgettes), the capsicums and the tomatoes.

Then place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 210°C – fan-bake oven or 230°C – conventional oven, on bake.

I prepare all of the vegetables first and begin by roasting the peppers, there are a few ways to do this but I just did them in the oven. To do this line a tray with cooking foil and place the capsicums on it.

• I didn’t spray the foil, they stick a little bit but if you want to you can spray it lightly with non-stick cooking spray or grease it lightly with cooking oil or even lightly rub oil all over the capsicum.

When the oven is up to temperature roast them for 25 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes.

While the peppers are roasting prepare the tomatoes. If you haven’t any ice on hand fill a medium-sized bowl with water (enough to cover the tomatoes) and place it in the freezer.

Then using a sharp knife cut a cross into the bottom of each tomato…..

…..then fill a medium-sized saucepan with water, enough to cover the whole tomatoes (but don’t put them in just yet) 🙂 Place the saucepan over a high heat and bring the water to the boil.

When it’s boiling, leave it boiling for just a minute and fill a medium-sized bowl with enough water in it to cover the tomatoes, with a handful of ice thrown into it or get the water from the freezer ready on the bench.

Then using tongs carefully place the tomatoes into the boiling water with the cross-cut facing upwards.

Leave them in for 30 seconds (no more you just want to remove the skins and not start cooking the flesh). Remove them with the tongs and place them in the bowl of cold water. They can stay in there for bit, so just set them aside.

Back to the capsicums,….once they are roasted nicely and look charred (blackened) remove them from the oven……

Cover them with tinfoil so they can sweat a bit (I just folded the extra cooking foil on my tray over them) and then leave them aside. You can turn the oven off also as its not needed for a while.

The cooled tomatoes can be skinned now. So remove them from the bowl of water and starting at the cross-cut use your fingers or a little sharp knife and gently peel the skin back. If flesh is coming away with the skin they may have been left in the boiling water too long, alternately if the skin is not easily coming away the water wasn’t hot enough or they weren’t left in long enough. It’s still okay just peel them the best you can.

Once done use the little knife to cut the cores out and then roughly chop up the tomatoes into 3 cm (1 inch) chunks and put them in a small bowl.

Prepare a plate now to place the cooked vegetables on by laying a few paper towels on a large one.

The capsicums would have cooled a bit by now so using a sharp knife or very gently using your fingers, peel the skin off.

Now carefully pull the stalks out and gently open them up and with the tip of the knife scrap away the seeds and…….

….. cut them into 6 pieces per half and place on the paper towel plate..

To prepare the other vegetables if you haven’t already, slice some of the marrow into x6 2 cm (3/4 inch) rounds. Then cut each round in half and if it has seeds remove them. Then cut each half into 3 pieces and set them aside.

If using courgettes remove the ends and slice into 2 cm slices (3/4 inch) and then set them aside.

Remove the ends and then slice the eggplant long-ways through the centre and then long-ways through the centre of each half…….so that you have four long pieces. Then slice each piece (width-ways) into 2 cm (3/4 inch) slices. I cut the skinnier end into 3 cm (1inch) slices to ensure even cooking for all pieces.

Next heat up a large frying pan, over a medium/high heat. Then add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat up for 30 seconds. Then add the eggplant pieces. Brown for three minutes and then turn the pieces over and brown the other side for three minutes. Remove them and place them onto the ready plate.

Add 2 tablespoons more of olive oil to the pan and let it heat up for 30 seconds and then add the marrow pieces, browning them for 4 minutes on each side (if using courgettes slices, 3 minutes on each side) and then add them to the plate with the eggplant.

Leave the pan on the stove (off the heat) as you’ll be using it again soon and there should be no need to wash it.

Now finely dice the onion and crush the garlic (or very finely dice it).

Heat up the frying pan again over a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot add the onion, the garlic and the sprigs of thyme and saute for 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and clear. Stir often so the onion and garlic doesn’t go brown and if they start to, turn the heat down a bit.

Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes you prepared as well as any tomato juice from the chopping board and the tin of whole peeled tomatoes, sauce and all. Break up the whole peeled tomatoes with the wooden spoon.

Add the red wine vinegar (or balsamic), the tomato paste, the sugar, the salt and the black cracked pepper.

With the heat on medium/high bring the sauce to a boil, stirring often and then turn the heat down to medium or a temperature where it’s just softly bubbling and then leave it simmering for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Whilst the sauce is simmering,  place an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 160°C fan-bake oven or 180°C conventional oven, on bake.

Also you can pick the rest of your herbs so that they are ready.

So after the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, turn the heat off and add the prepared bell peppers, the marrow (or courgettes) and the eggplant. Also roughly chop the fresh herbs and add these to the sauce also.

Fold it all together and place it into a 2 litre (8 cup) capacity oven dish (or leave it in the pan if it’s oven-proof) and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

FINALLY (whew!)…..place in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes.

Best served warm and just before serving, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Italian parsley.

It’s great served as lunch or dinner with pasta or rice. I enjoy bruschetta with mine  🙂

Storage – Keep covered in food wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If reheating, warm up gently over a low heat in a saucepan……..I love this on toast for breakfast with a soft poached egg. 🙂

If you are a Vegetarian visit this page where you can find a few more yummy dishes.