In this French dish, summer veggies are chopped or sliced, sautéed in oil, then simmered in a sauce to soften them and blend their flavours.
It’s served warm but is also delicious cold on a hot summer’s day with grilled chicken, lamb or beef.
Summer ratatouille
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 red peppers
1 large brinjal, cut into thick rounds
1 punnet (400g) yellow patty pans or baby marrows, halved
2 onions, quartered
1 punnet (250g) vine or cherry tomatoes
½ cup olive or canola oil
1 can (410g) chopped and peeled tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Pinch sugar
Sprig fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp chilli flakes
Salt and milled black pepper
To serve
Fresh basil
Ricotta Crispy garlic bread
Method
- Char peppers under the oven grill or over the flame of a gas stove.
- Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside for 10 minutes
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Toss brinjals, patty pans or baby marrows, onions and tomatoes in oil and char on a hot griddle pan.
- Remove blackened skins from peppers by rubbing and peeling off.
- Discard skins, deseed and cut into thick strips.
- Combine canned tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, garlic and chilli flakes in a large roasting dish.
- Mix in the charred vegetables and peppers. Season well.
- Roast for 45-50 minutes until sauce becomes sticky and the vegetables are soft.
- Serve scattered with fresh basil and ricotta alongside garlic bread, if you like.
Words: Chad January
Photography: Zhann Solomons
Also read: 4 yummy recipes with tomatoes
