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Provençal Ratatouille Recipe

Provençal Ratatouille Recipe
  • Category

    Mains

  • Cusine

    American

Ingredients

3 cups 1/4-inch diced summer squash, such as zucchini and yellow squash

3 cups 1/4-inch diced Italian eggplant

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed

3 cups 1/4-inch diced yellow onion

6 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 cups 1/4-inch diced red and yellow bell pepper

2 cups pureed canned whole tomatoes, with their juices, from 1

1 bouquet garni

Chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, for garnish

Directions

Place summer squash in a wire mesh strainer set over a bowl; place eggplant in a second wire mesh strainer and set over a second bowl. Toss both with a liberal amount of kosher salt and let stand to drain at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Discard any liquid that collects in the bowls. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Scrape onion and garlic onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread in an even layer to cool for 3 minutes. Transfer onion and garlic to a large pot. Meanwhile, add 3 more tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Scrape bell pepper onto the rimmed baking sheet in an even layer to cool for 3 minutes. Transfer bell pepper to pot with onion. Add 3 more tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add summer squash and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Scrape onto rimmed baking sheet in an even layer to cool for 3 minutes. Transfer to pot with onion and bell pepper. Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add eggplant and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes; add more olive oil as needed if skillet dries out while cooking eggplant. Scrape eggplant into pot with other vegetables and stir to combine. Set pot of vegetables over medium-high heat and stir in tomato puree and herb bundle; heat until ratatouille is gently bubbling, then lower heat to medium and cook, stirring, until tomato puree coats vegetables in a thick sauce, about 15 minutes. Discard herb bundle. Season with salt, stir in chopped parsley , and drizzle with a small amount of fresh extra-virgin olive oil. Serve right away, or chill and serve either reheated, slightly chilled, or at room temperature.