Dear everyone who reads this blog with any regularity,

I apologize for not posting as regularly as I normally do.  I'm back! 



I made this ratatouille a few weeks ago, and, while it's never going to be my favorite meal, it's pretty good, and great if you want a versatile, affordable dish that can be served as a sauce over pasta, baked with eggs, or even stuffed in phyllo or other dough, this is your recipe. 



Because I had never made ratatouille, and eggplant can sometimes go either way with me, I made this recipe with half the ingredient quantities.  I also served the ratatouille over pasta, like a thick and chunky vegetable sauce.  That was absolutely delicious, especially when you add in just a little drizzle of olive oil and shave parmesan over the top.  Mmmm.  One word on the dish- in the pictures that are provided in Everyday Food, there is a little more liquid than what I ended up having, so I'm not sure if too much evaporated when I roasted the tomatoes or what.  I also used a home canned jar of tomatoes, which may have caused the liquidity to vary slightly, but if you make this recipe or have made ratatouille before, let me know your experience.


Ratatouille
from Everyday Food, October 2010

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large eggplant (1 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large yellow onions (1 pound total), diced large
1 head garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and diced large
2 large zucchini (1 pound total), diced large
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano leaves
2 to 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tomatoes and juices on a rimmed baking sheet and use your hands to break tomatoes into 3/4-inch pieces. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and bake until thickened, 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a colander, toss eggplant with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let sit 20 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 4 tablespoons oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onions and garlic are soft, 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bay leaf, and marjoram to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook at a gentle simmer until vegetables are tender but not mushy, 15 minutes. Season to taste with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving.