Ratatouille coming from the Occitan Ratatolha, is a dish that smells like Provence. It’s a side dish that I usually serve with grilled lamb, or a nice pan fried piece of fish. It’s also great cold on a think slice of grilled country bread.

They are of course about as many ways to make Ratatouilles as we have days in a year. You can pre-roast all the vegetables in the oven before turning them to the pan. You can layer it by cooking the zucchini and eggplant (the most fragile vegetables) separately.

On a night like tonight, when I just come back from work. I do not need the extra work, so I opt for the easy Ratatouille!

Ingredients:

1 onion

1 eggplant

4-5 ripe tomatoes

3 zucchini

1 bell pepper

Garlic (I like a lot)

Herbes de Provence

In a pot, sweat your diced onion in some olive oil. Add some salt and pepper, and the Herbes de Provence. This is a recipe that cooks as you go, then add your bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic sliced and keeping the eggplant and zucchini for last. Cook covered on a medium heat for 15 minutes and then uncover and finish reducing a bit the liquid. Time to readjust the seasoning if needed.

And here you have it, a very simple Ratatouille.

I love to add sausage to it. And if I have left over, I will add some tomato sauce and turn it into a wonderful pasta sauce! I love also to poach an egg in it the next morning, with grilled bread it’s an excellent brunch item.

Bon Appétit!