Baked Ratatouille Recipe Food Network

RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• In a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. First, add the garlic, peppers and onions and cook, stirring often, until the peppers and onions are softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Next, add the zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant; stir until coated with olive oil and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, and then add the parsley, oregano, herbes de Provence if using, thyme and basil. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Finish cooking over lower heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest before serving for 10 minutes, to allow the flavors to incorporate. Use or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables: Peel and trim onions, then cut in half from top to bottom. Cut each half into 4 wedges, then cut into a large dice. Place in a bowl and set aside. Trim and core the peppers; discard stems and cores. Cut in half, then remove and discard seeds and veins. Slice into 1-inch strips, then cut into a large dice. Place in the bowl with the onions and set aside. Peel and slice garlic cloves in half. Remove and discard any green germs inside, then finely mince. Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Trim zucchini and cut into quarters, lengthwise; then cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a bowl and set aside. Trim eggplants, then cut in half. Cut each half into 3 or 4 wedges lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a bowl and set aside.
• Sauté vegetables: In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, followed by onions and peppers. Stirring occasionally, gently sweat the vegetables until they are soft but have taken on no color, 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat, heat a generous tablespoon olive oil. Add zucchini, a pinch of salt, and a few turns of the pepper mill. Stirring occasionally, sauté until zucchini has taken on a golden color, 5-6 minutes. Season onion-pepper mixture with a few pinches of salt and the red pepper flakes.
• Blanch tomatoes: When the large pot of water is simmering, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Use a paring knife to cut out the tomato stems and discard. Score an "x" into the bottom of each tomato, for easy peeling after blanching. Place tomatoes in simmering water for 30 seconds. Use a strainer to immediately transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath; allow to cool completely. Use a paring knife to peel away the tomato skin and discard.
• When onion-pepper mixture has been sweating for 4-5 minutes, turn heat to low and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove zucchini from skillet, leaving some oil behind, and set aside. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add another tablespoon olive oil, followed by eggplant, a pinch of salt, and a few turns of pepper. Stirring occasionally, sauté until eggplant has taken on a golden color, 5-6 minutes. Try to keep the eggplant pieces intact. (If the eggplant sticks, add up to another tablespoon or so of olive oil, as needed.)
• Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. Use your hands to remove most of the seeds, then gently squeeze to remove excess juice. Halve the tomatoes horizontally again, then cut into 1-inch chunks and set aside. Remove eggplant from heat and set aside; the volume of the eggplant should be reduced by about half. By now, the onions should be soft and translucent; stir garlic and tomato paste into onion-pepper mixture. Add zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes; gently stir to combine. Season with 2 pinches of salt and bring to a low simmer, 2-3 minutes.
• While the ratatouille is simmering, make a bouquet garni: Gather the basil, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf into a small bundle, using the basil to contain the other herbs. Wrap securely with butcher's twine and tie with a double knot. Trim the ends of the bouquet garni, then submerge it in the middle of the ratatouille. Next, make a parchment paper lid, or "cartouche," for the Dutch oven: Fold a large sheet of parchment paper into quarters. Fold in half twice diagonally to make a flat wedge; then trim the outer edge so that the wedge is as long as the radius of the pot. Finally, snip off the point of the wedge to create a steam vent. Unfold the parchment: you should have a cartouche that is about the same size and shape as the Dutch oven, with a small hole in the center. Lay the cartouche directly on the surface of the ratatouille. Place in the oven and bake, 45-60 minutes.
• After 45 minutes, remove ratatouille from oven; the vegetables should be soft and the sauce thickened. (If the ratatouille is watery, continue cooking for up to 15 more minutes.) Discard cartouche. Tear half the basil leaves and gently stir them into the ratatouille. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Transfer the vegetables and most of the liquid to a serving platter. Garnish with whole basil leaves and baste the top of the ratatouille with remaining liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before serving, hot or cold.

RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bundle the thyme and basil together with butcher's twine, then set aside. Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and begin to cook, browning lightly on each side, 4 to 5 minutes total. Add about a quarter of the garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer the eggplant to a cold Dutch oven. Return the skillet back to the heat, then add more olive oil and the onions and peppers. Cook, browning lightly on each side, 4 to 5 minutes total. Add about a quarter of the garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the cold Dutch oven with the eggplant. Finally, repeat this process with the zucchini, then add to the Dutch oven. Stir the anchovy paste, tomatoes, olives, remaining garlic, herb bundle and salt and pepper into the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil. Stir, then cover and bake 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven. Transfer to a platter and garnish with Parmesan and basil. Serve by itself as a side dish, or serve over pasta, eggs or polenta.

BAKED RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat oil in a heavy, large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic; stir 1 minute.
• Add eggplant, green bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, zucchini and basil. Saute for 5 minutes.
• Cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Uncover pot and simmer until juice thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Mix in vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread in 9-inch pie dish.
• Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.
• Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Set a large 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.

BAKED RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Slice potatoes, zucchini and bell pepper 1/4 inch thick.
• Slice carrots, tomato and rutabaga 1/8 inch thick.
• Slice onion as thin as you can, maintaining shape.
• If you are using beef, cut into strips about 1-1 1/2 inch wide, about 2 inches long, and no thicker than 1/4 inch.
• The layering will go in two parts, so only use half the veggies at a time.
• Layer potato, carrot, onion, bell pepper.
• Then the rutabaga, pepper the rutabaga with about 1 tsp of the pepper.
• Then layer the zucchini, mushrooms, beef and tomato.
• Gently salt the tomato with 1/2 tsp salt.
• Repeat steps 6 to 9.
• In a separate medium saucepan gently heat the tomato sauce, water, bouillon, bay leaf, basil, onion powder, 1 tbsp pepper and garlic until it begins to boil.
• Turn it off and remove the bay leaf, don't burn your fingers!
• Gently pour over the veggies, distributing evenly.
• Cover and bake 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• After 45 minutes lift lid and gently push down with back of spoon. Replace lid and continue baking.
• To test for done-ness insert butter knife in center, you should meet very little resistance. If you feel it is not done, bake another 15 minutes.
• Spoon out into bowls and enjoy!