Worlds Best Ratatouille Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven for 375˚F (190˚C).
• Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini into approximately ¹⁄₁₆-inch (1-mm) rounds, then set aside.
• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30-cm) oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers until soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the crushed tomatoes. Stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove from heat, then add the basil. Stir once more, then smooth the surface of the sauce with a spatula.
• Arrange the sliced veggies in alternating patterns, (for example, eggplant, tomato, squash, zucchini) on top of the sauce from the outer edge to the middle of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the herb seasoning: In a small bowl, mix together the basil, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spoon the herb seasoning over the vegetables.
• Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, then bake for another 20 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
• Serve while hot as a main dish or side. The ratatouille is also excellent the next day--cover with foil and reheat in a 350˚F (180˚C) oven for 15 minutes, or simply microwave to desired temperature.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Coat a large wide pan with olive oil. Add the onions, season with salt and crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium heat. Cook the onions until they are soft and very aromatic but have no color, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, thyme bundle and season with salt. Cook the tomatoes until they become very pulpy and have broken apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, summer squash and zucchini, season with salt and cook until the squash is soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the basil and taste to make sure the seasoning is correct. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers have softened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the eggplant, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ratatouille has reached a thick stew-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and basil with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with more fresh parsley and basil before serving.

Steps:

• Saute in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat until the vegetables are golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes: 1/4 C olive oil, eggplant and zucchini.
• Remove the vegetables and reduce the heat to medium-high. In the same pan, cook until the onions are slightly softened: 2 T of olive oil and onions.
• Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender but not browned, 8 to 12 minutes: red pepper and garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add: tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5 minutes.
• Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in: basil.

Steps:

• To roast peppers, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven directly under broiler. Check often and as each side of the peppers get blackened, turn the pepper. Continue to do so until all sides are completely black.
• Remove peppers from oven and place in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside for at least 10 minutes while you roast the other vegetables.
• Once the peppers are out, reset the oven to 400F.
• Place eggplant and zucchini in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets. (You will fill more than one baking sheet. Be prepared to roast multiple batches.) Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to coat with olive oil. Roast vegetables in oven for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, cover the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed pot with olive oil and heat on stovetop. Add onions and garlic and cook on medium-low until golden and onions are soft.
• Back to the covered bowl of peppers! The skin should peel right off of the peppers now. Remove stem and seeds too, and slice into long thin strips. Add pepper strips and any juices into the pot with the onions.
• Add roasted eggplants and squashes to the pot plus the 2 cans of tomatoes. Season to taste with fresh or dried herbs (tarragon is lovely!).
• Stir and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.
• Season ratatouille with salt and pepper to taste.