Jenn's Ratatouille

Jenn's Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a  fairly time intensive and involved dish, but the rich resulting flavors make it all worth it.  I read many recipes and used a couple of important hints from Martha Stewart*

After the tomatoes have been baked, all veg added to go into the oven

Served over orzo

Jenn's Ratatouille

Serves 2-3

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F

• 14 oz can of tomatoes
• 2 medium Japanese eggplant, cut in 1 inch cubes
• 2 medium summer squash (golden or zucchini)
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 5 cloves of garlic, slices
• Fresh thyme and oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

-*Put tomatoes in a large baking pan, break up with your hands.  Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes

-*Place eggplant cubes into a sieve, sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and let drain over a bowl for 20 minutes

-Cut the squash, pepper and onions into the same size pieces as the eggplant

-When the eggplant has sweat its excess moisture, pat dry

-Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick pan at medium-high heat, add eggplant and cook until browned and soft.

-Remove the eggplant and place on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil

-Add onion to the same pan and cook at medium heat until the onion is soft

-Add garlic and bell peppers, cook for 5 minutes, add squash for 1 more minute

-Place all of the vegetables, the bay leaves, 2 tsp of chopped fresh thyme and 2 tsp of chopped fresh oregano in the tomato sauce.  Stir well.

-Bake covered at 325 for 45-50 minutes

-Remove the cover, bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes

-Take out the bay leaves before serving