Quick and Easy

Family ratatouille

This dish takes advantage of summer’s bounty of tomatoes, courgettes, capsicums and eggplants. My dad makes a mean ratatouille, and he’s taught Mum and I that exact quantities aren’t essential. The trick is to take your time sautéing each ingredient and layering them to bake.
Family ratatouille
8
1H

Ingredients

Method

1.In a frying pan, gently cook the onions in enough olive oil to stop them sticking for 20 minutes, adding the garlic halfway through. When cooked to golden brown, tip into a large oven-proof dish.
2.Using the same frying pan (do not rinse or wash it), add a little more olive oil and cook the courgettes for about 5-8 minutes.
3.While the courgettes are cooking, top and tail the eggplants. Using a vege peeler, peel strips of skin lengthwise, leaving alternate strips of skin on and exposed flesh. Cut into 2cm- rounds, brush with olive oil and put on an oven tray.
4.Brown both sides under a hot grill, then roughly chop and layer over the onions. Once the courgettes are cooked, layer them in the large dish.
5.Cook the capsciums in a little more oil until just beginning to soften. Layer into the serving dish.
6.Put tomatoes in the pan with salt, pepper and the herbs to heat for a few minutes, scraping any bits and pieces off the pan and pour into the dish.
7.Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 30 minutes or until it has deepened in colour and some of the juices have reduced.
8.Serve with the bread and salad.

It is better to grill the eggplants than fry them as they soak up less oil. If using fresh tomatoes, use about 6 big ripe ones, cut into thick slices. They don’t need to be precooked, but increase the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Note

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