- Serves 4 - Ready in 2.5 hours -
*uses up 500g (2 punnets) of tomatoes* and *4 courgettes OR 1 marrow*
Gather together...
2 tbsp olive oil.
2 onions, roughly chopped.
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped.
4 medium courgettes (or equivalent) - top and tail and chop into 1cm x 1cm cubes OR if using a marrow, cut it in half lengthways, top and tail the ends and remove the seeds, plus if the outer skin is tough, peel it off the marrow).
2 red peppers, roughly chopped.
2 yellow peppers, roughly chopped.
500g (2 small punnets) of cherry tomatoes / homegrown mixed tomatoes OR use 600g bottle of passata (sieved concentrated tomatoes).
1/2 bunch (15g) of fresh Basil leaves, torn OR 1 tsp dried Basil, OR 1 tsp dried Oregano.
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
Pinch salt (be generous).
Pinch of pepper.
Serve with...
1/2 cup (85g weight equivalent) brown rice per person, dry weight.
OR
Fresh white sourdough bread from a breadmaker, or from a bakery.
Get cooking...
1. In a big lidded, casserole-type pan, fry the 2 chopped onions, the peeled-and-finely-chopped 4 garlic cloves and ONLY 1/4 of the chopped courgette / marrow cubes, for 10 minutes over a medium heat on the hob, with the LID ON
2. Tip these vegetables onto a large plate and set aside for later, so that the pan is empty, ready to fry the next batch of vegetables.
3. Fry the rest of the chopped courgette / marrow cubes for 10 minutes with the LID ON, add more oil if needed. Then set aside on the plate.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 C (160 C fan) or Gas 4.
5. Meanwhile fry the final batch of vegetables in the pan with the LID ON - the chopped peppers and the tomatoes (if using - remember you can use 600g of passata instead), for 10 minutes.
6. Once the batch frying has finished, put all of the vegetables back into the original pan and stir.
7. Add the 600g of passata (if using), the 1/2 bunch of chopped Basil leaves, the 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and the pinches of salt and pepper. Stir.
8. Put the pan in the oven, with the lid ON and leave to slowly cook for between 1 hour and 1.5 hours.
9. If needed, set the brown rice to cook 30 minutes before you plan to serve the dish - 1/2 a cup of dry rice per person, in an electric rice cooker (ideally) or in a pan on the hob, following the packet instructions..
10. Remove the ratatouille from the oven and enjoy on top of the brown rice, or mop up the juices with crusty white sourdough bread.
Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Classic Ratatouille recipe.