Baked Ratatouille (rat-tuh-TOO-ee)

What is Ratatouille (rat-tuh-TOO-ee)?

Apart from the adorable little rat character in the Disney animation (highly recommend!), ratatouille is a classic French summer stew typical of Provencal cookery, originally from Nice. It was originally made to use up the bounty of fresh, in-season vegetables before the seasons changed. Technically, aubergines (or eggplants) are in season during South Africa’s summer months—December, January & February. But somehow, even in May here in Johannesburg, I’m still harvesting aubergines from my vegetable garden & I’m loving it.

The French word, touiller means to stir or mix meaning that the traditional French ratatouille recipes called for stove-top cooking. Honestly—I’m not too phased. If you are after a rustic & comforting meal, then go for the stove-top version —perfect served in a bowl or spooned over pasta.

The less traditional baked version, like the one that I made here, is slightly more elegant & structured. You can still see & appreciate the beautiful colours of the aubergine, tomato, and courgette (baby marrow / zucchini). It’s the kind of dish that looks just as good as it tastes.

Traditional ratatouille was made from onions, courgettes (baby marrow / zucchini), bell peppers & tomato simmered in olive oil with herbs. Some believe that the vegetables should be cooked separately & then combined. You’ll notice that I don’t pre-cook the vegetables before & the result is still amazing.

Dégorger: To Salt or Not to Salt?

One meaning of the French term, dégorger, means to soak meat, poultry, fish & offal too. It also refers to salting & in this case, it draws out the bitter juices from the aubergine. It also helps prevent the eggplant from becoming oily when cooked & can really improve its texture & flavour. 

Some cooks might disagree with salting an aubergine as certain modern cultivars of aubergines are no longer bitter. I would always recommend salting for an aubergine just to be safe. I find that the aubergines from my own vegetable patch are rather bitter & benefit from two rounds of salting & rinsing.  So yes, to salt is a great way to elevate your aubergine game!

Reasons to Love Ratatouille

• It’s a celebration of seasonal veg: A delicious way to use up tomatoes, aubergines, baby marrow, peppers, & herbs when they’re at their best.
• Budget-friendly & low waste: Great for clearing out the veggie drawer & cutting down on food waste.
• Naturally vegan & gluten-free: A dish everyone can enjoy— what a treat. No substitutions are needed.
• It’s even better the next day: Like most stews, the flavours deepen overnight, making it ideal for meal prep or leftovers.
• Versatile to serve: Serve it warm or cold, as a main, a side, or even spooned over toast with a soft poached egg.
  

  Best Round-About Ratatouille

  A classic French vegetable stew, originally from Nice. Main ingredients include tomato, aubergine & courgette.

  Print Recipe Pin Recipe

  Course Main Course, Side Dish

  Cuisine French

  Servings 4 people

  Ingredients

    

  Veggies for Sauce

  • 600-700 g Tomatoes any type
  • 1 Medium Red Onion
  • 1-2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Oregano Leaves
  • 5 Basil Leaves
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Splash of Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 Brown Sugar

  For the Vegetable Layer

  • 500 g Fresh Tomato
  • 500 g Aubergine
  • 500 g Courgette

  Instructions

   

  • Pre-Heat the oven to 180°C.

  Make the Sauce

  • Roughly chop all of your veggies, toss with olive oil, salt & black pepper.
  • Place it all the vegetables for the sauce in a greased overproof dish or lined baking dish. Put the vegetables into the oven for 12-15minutes.
  • Add the vegetables to a food processor together with the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar & herbs.
  • Pulse until the sauce is thick but smooth. Taste & season if required. (Add a splash of water if necessary.)

  Assemble the Ratatouille

  • Slice your tomato, aubergine & courgette (baby marrow) in thin slices, ensuring that all the slices are equally thick.
  • Sprinkle the aubergines with a good amount of salt. Wait for about 5 minutes (or until droplets start to form on the aubergine). Rinse with clean, cold water & pat dry.
  • Use a round, ovenproof dish (25cm diameter) & spray with cooking spray.
  • Carefully pack the vegetables (aubergine, tomato, courgette) around the dish.
  • Drizzle with olive oil & add a good sprinkle of salt & pepper.
  • Place in the oven for 30 min or until the ratatouille is cooked.
  • Enjoy on its own or as a side dish.

  Notes

  The sauce can be made 1-3 days ahead of time & kept in the fridge.

  Keyword french stew, ratatouille, vegetable stew

Thanx for visiting. Let me know if you enjoyed this recipe!

Yolandi ♥