This is the easiest ratatouille ever. Chop everything, drop in a big pot, bake, done! And after a few hours of long slow cooking in the oven, this ratatouille is silky and shiny and fragrant and amazing. I recently changed this recipe to a doubled amount, so that there are leftovers…a very important goal. For a stovetop version, click here.
Oven-Roasted Ratatouille
8 main course servings
2 large eggplants, cut into 1″ pieces
4 medium zucchinis, cut into 1/2″ slices
2 red onions, sliced into quarters
4 red bell peppers, cut into 1″ chunks
8 garlic cloves, peeled, but whole
2 14.5-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup tomato paste, to thicken sauce
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted (optional, contributes both sodium & fat)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/3 cup light miso paste, dissolved in a bit of water
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence (or fresh basil)
Lemon peel, finely grated (I use a microplane)
Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar
To finish:
Capers, rinsed
Thin slivers of basil leaves
Slices of kalamata olives
Another drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Into a large dutch oven (I use my biggest Le Crueset, which holds almost 7 quarts), add all ingredients together and mix well with your hands (or use a large spoon if using your hands is a no-go). Don’t worry if your pot is *really* full, it will cook down. Cover with a lid and cook for about two hours, mixing with a big spoon every 45 minutes or so.
If there’s still quite a bit of juice in the bottom of the pot, carefully pour into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce to a syrupy consistency. Pour back over the vegetables.
Garnish each bowl with capers, fresh basil (if available), kalamata olives, and a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar. I like to serve ratatouille over polenta*, or with warm olive bread.
Ratatouille only improves with age—if you have the will power, save it for the next day!
(*Polenta is nothing more than coarsely ground cornmeal cooked into a silky cereal. The classic ratio is 1 part polenta to 4 parts water, but I like to measure the polenta just a little scant of a full cup. I often use vegetable broth instead of water. It’s a perfect base for any kind of saucy vegetable dish or mushroom ragout.)