Chef notes
A lot of people say they hate eggplant, but after they taste this delicious ratatouille, they are singing a different tune. I love proving people's palates wrong!
Technique tip: Make sure that you coat both sides of the eggplant with salt; otherwise, the eggplant will retain too much water and less flavor.
Swap option: You can always substitute canned tomatoes if you are making this in the winter when ripe tomatoes are scarce.
Ingredients
- 8 fresh tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
- coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 1 head garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
- 2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 2 large zucchini, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.Place tomatoes and juices on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and bake until thickened, 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, in a colander, toss eggplant with 1½ teaspoons salt. Let sit 20 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid.
4.In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 4 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook stirring until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5.Add tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bay leaf and basil 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, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with vinegar, salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving.
