Marilyn Dishes

This version of Ratatouille recipe is based loosely on a recipe I found in LOVE & LEMONS. I used the amount of ingredients that I had on hand to make my version!

This Ratatouille can be Vegan/Parve, just do not add any Parmesan Cheese.

We ate this delicious Ratatouille as a side dish then the next day I warmed it up, put in some grated parmesan … use you heart for the amount you put in … then added some cooked rotini & about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Gave it a good mix & it was amazing!! Sprinkle a bit more Parm on top when you serve it! I almost like this Ratatouille better mixed into the pasta than as a stand alone dish!

I think you can use this ingredient list as a guide in a way. If you have more tomatoes you can add a couple more. If you have 2 zucchini you can add 2 instead of one.. just make sure that you increase the amt of spices and vinegar etc to the amount of ingredients you have.

Ingredients

1 medium size globe eggplant

salt to spinkle on the eggplant

olive oil … approx 4 -6 tablespoons

1 medium size zucchini

1 medium size yellow onion

1 – 2 cloves garlic

1 red pepper ( you can use orange or yellow here if you want)

2 tomatoes ( I only had 2 tomatoes so that is what I used but you can use at least 1 more if you have 3)

salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp vinegar

optional: red pepper flakes

Method. It is going to be easy for you if you prepare all of the ingredients & have them beside the stove so that when you start cooking you can just have everything near you.

1. Cut the eggplant in to approx 1/2 inch cubes. Put the cut eggplant into a colander, sprinkle with some salt, mix it around so that all of the eggplant is touched by the salt & set the colander into the sink. Let this sit for doubt 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
2. While the eggplant is soaking, cut the zucchini into 1/2 inch cubes & put into a bowl
3. Chop the onion into small pieces, mince the garlic, chop the red pepper into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop the tomatoes. Put all of this into bowls to be ready to use
4. Get the salt, sugar, basil, thyme, vinegar & red pepper flakes ready and put near the stove
5. Now, pat the eggplant dry with some paper towel or a clean kitchen towel
6. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil but not to smoking…. add the eggplant & cook stirring often until it is soft & browned. When done remove from the skillet & set aside.
7. Add some more olive oil to the pan & sauté the zucchini until soft, remove from the skillet & you can put it into the bowl with the cooked eggplant.
8. Now, again if needed add some olive oil & cook the onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic, mix until the garlic become fragrant. now ad d the red pepper & cook until all of this is soft & just browned a bit around the edges.
9. Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar, basil , thyme & red pepper flakes if using them. Cook until the tomatoes soften & break down
10. Put the eggplant & zucchini into the skillet. Mix throughly. Cook until the ingredients are blended together. Salt to taste

This is delicious as a side dish but if you want you can boil some pasta while this is cooking & toss the Ratatouille with the pasta! Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, some grated Parmesan cheese & some pasta water ( start with 1/4 cup & add as needed to make a sauce, You don’t want it watery) Cook until this is saucy.