Ratatouille
Nothing says high summer than a batch of fragrant simmering ratatouille on the stove. The dish originates from the South of France, where home cooks would toss tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, onions, eggplant, garlic and herbs into a pot and cook them down to create an irresistible mixture enjoyed hot, cold, on its own, with eggs, over toast, or tossed with pasta. Those are just a few ideas that come to mind, but feel free to riff as you like. And know that no two ratatouille are exactly the same, so make whatever changes you’re inspired to and really make this your own.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
- 1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into slivers
- 4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Over medium-low heat, add the oil to a large skillet with the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
- Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant has softened. Stir in the zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil and few grinds of pepper to taste.
