Julia Child’s Ratatouille stands out as a culinary masterpiece that captures the essence of Provençal flavors and showcases the artistry of French home cooking.
Author:Julia Child
Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:1 hour
Yield:6-8 servings
Category:Entrée
Ingredients
Eggplant: 1 lb.
Zucchini or Summer Squash: 1 lb.
Olive Oil: 4-6 Tbsp. (divided)
Salt: 1 tsp.
Mashed Garlic: 2 cloves
Yellow Onions: About 1 ½ cups or ½ lb. (thinly sliced)
Salt & Pepper: to taste
Green Bell Peppers: 2 (about 1 cup, sliced)
Minced Parsley: 3 Tbsp.
Red Tomatoes: 1 lb. (Make sure they are ripe, firm, seeded, peeled, and juiced! Roma tomatoes work well here.)
Instructions
Peel and cut the eggplant into lengthwise slices that are about 1-inch wide, 3-inch long, and 3/8-inch thick.
Scrub the summer squash and cut into pieces the same size as the eggplant.
Place eggplant and summer squash pieces in a bowl and toss with one teaspoon salt. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the liquid to drain, then dry all the pieces with a towel.
Heat four tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, and sauté the summer squash and eggplant, one layer at a time, for about one minute until the vegetables are slightly browned. Place cooked pieces into a separate dish.
Cook the sliced peppers and onions in the same skillet, adding a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, if needed, for 10 minutes until they are tender. Add the mashed garlic and season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Slice the tomato pulps into 3/8-inch strips, then layer the tomatoes over the peppers and onions, seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the skillet and let the vegetables cook for about 5 minutes on low heat until the tomatoes start to render their juice. Check the seasoning and raise the heat. Boil the vegetables in the tomato juice until the juice entirely evaporates.
Place 1/3 of the tomato mixture in a 2½-inch deep stove-top-safe casserole dish, and sprinkle the layer with freshly minced parsley.
Next, arrange half of the summer squash and eggplant mixture on top. Layer the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Then, place the remaining summer squash and eggplant, and finish off with the rest of tomatoes and parsley on top.
Cover the casserole and put it on a low heat. Let everything simmer for about 10 minutes. Check it after 10 minutes, and season it if necessary.
Raise the heat a little and cook everything for 15 minutes uncovered. Cook until all the juices evaporate. Avoid the vegetables getting scorch at the bottom of casserole by regularly checking the heat level.
Voilà! Ready to serve!
Notes
If you are using canned tomatoes, you will need about 1 ½ cups.
