Ratatouille: a dazzling dish that's not just a feast for the eyes but also a treat for your taste buds and your health! Want to whip up this culinary masterpiece that’ll have everyone thinking you’re a kitchen wizard? Buckle up, because you can create this stunning side in less than 45 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 small onion (chopped)
- 1/3 cup shredded carrot
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 sprigs basil (leaves only)
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 Japanese eggplant (sliced 1/4 inch thick circles) - 1 regular eggplant will work but you'll need to quarter the circular slices
- 2 small zucchini (sliced 1/4 inch thick circles)
- 3 Roma tomatoes (sliced 1/4 inch thick circles)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400º F. In a large nonstick pan (I like a shallow dutch oven for this because I can cook the sauce then just add the veggies right on top in the same pan), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, and carrot and cook until "sweating", about 5 minutes. Next, add in the crushed tomatoes, parsley, half the basil torn into large pieces, salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Once the sauce has thickened, pour into a 2 quart baking dish (unless you made the sauce in a shallow dutch oven). Put sliced veggies, second half of basil, parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into large bowl and toss to mix well. For a super fancy presentation, arrange the sliced vegetables in a circular pattern standing upright in the dish over the sauce. Alternatively, just pour them over the top of the sauce like I did. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
*This article was created in part using AI
