I just adore a classic Ratatouille. It’s one of those dishes I always come back to when summer produce is at its peak because it is essentially a love letter to vegetables. Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic all layered together with olive oil and herbs and cooked down into something that is deeply savory, silky, and fragrant in the best possible way. It is simple, it is beautiful, and it is one of the most satisfying things you can make when the farmers market is overflowing. And this is coming from a typical Eggplant hater (the only veggie I don’t enjoy).
There are a few different ways to make ratatouille and they each produce a ~slightly~ different result. The rustic stovetop version is more of a chunky stew — all the vegetables get chopped and cooked together in one pot until everything is soft and jammy. The tian version, which is what you might recognize from the famous film, involves thinly sliced vegetables layered in concentric circles over a tomato sauce and roasted in the oven. Both are wonderful. The tian is more visually impressive, the stovetop version is faster and more forgiving.
A few things that make a big difference regardless of which method you use. Salt your eggplant first if you have time. Actually, I take that back, this step is required! It draws out bitterness and excess moisture. Use good olive oil generously as it is what carries the flavor through the whole dish. And season in layers rather than just at the end so everything tastes developed and intentional.
Ratatouille is wonderful served warm over polenta, alongside crusty bread, or as a side dish with whatever you are cooking. It is also incredible at room temperature the next day when all the flavors have had time to meld together. Leftovers tossed with pasta (like a pasta primavera style dish) or spooned over eggs (almost like an eggs in purgatory style breakfast) are two of my favorite ways to use it.
This is peak summer cooking at its best, but it’s truly amazing any time of year. Tag me @herbyeats when you do give it a try!
Classic Tian Style Ratatouille
Equipment
- Oval or round baking dish (9×13 or similar)
- Mandoline or sharp knife (for thin, even slices)
- Blender or food processor (for sauce)
- Small saucepan
- Cutting board and chef’s knife
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp 15g olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced (about 100g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 9g)
- 1 red bell pepper chopped (about 150g)
- 1 can 14 oz / 400g crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp 0.5g dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the tian:
- 1 medium eggplant sliced into thin rounds (about 350g)
- 2 zucchini sliced into thin rounds (about 400g / 200g each)
- 2 yellow summer squash sliced into thin rounds (about 400g / 200g each)
- 2 –3 Roma tomatoes sliced into thin rounds (about 250g)
- 2 tbsp 25g olive oil, for drizzling
- 1½ tsp 1.5g dried thyme or herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red bell pepper, cook 5 minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes and thyme, simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then blend until smooth.
- Spread the sauce evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Slice the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and tomatoes into thin, even rounds, about ⅛ inch thick.
- Starting from the outer edge of the dish, stand the vegetable slices on their edge in alternating order, working in a spiral toward the center until the dish is fully shingled.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes more, until vegetables are tender and edges are lightly caramelized.
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving.