Ratatouille
Yields 1 large cast iron pan
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables
1 eggplant
2-3 tomatoes
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
Tomato Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, mince
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 yellow bell pepper, small dice
1 qt canned tomatoes, crushed
salt & pepper
10 leaves basil, chopped
Herb Sauce
2 tbsp basil, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 tsp thyme, finely chopped
salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Tomato Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch wide pan over medium-high heat.
Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers until soft, about 10 minutes. Do not carmelize.
Add canned tomato, salt & pepper. (Start prepping vegetables while sauce cooks.)
Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes so the sauce is tighter.
Add basil, and stir. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Spread the sauce with a spatula as wide as the surface of the pan.
Vegetables
While the sauce is cooking, preheat the oven for 375˚F, and prep the vegetables.
Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash, &zucchini into ¹⁄₁₆-inch rounds with japanese mandoline.
If some vegetables are too wide, cut them so the slices are half moons.
Set aside.
Assembly
Arrange the sliced veggies in alternating patterns-(Ex: eggplant, tomato, squash, zucchini)
Place on top of the sauce from the outer edge working your way inward to the middle of pan.
Drizzle lightly with evoo and season with salt and pepper.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together basil, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, & olive oil. Set aside.
Uncover, then bake for another 10 minutes then drizzle the herb sauce evenly over the dish.
Bake again for another 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
Sprinkle maldon salt overtop and serve directly out of the pan.
