How to Make Ratatouille? – Easy Ratatouille Recipe

The famous Italian meal caponata is reminiscent of Ratatouille. Both showcase succulent summer vegetables cooked in a sauce made primarily of tomatoes.

Ratatouille is one of the simplest French meals you can prepare for your guests, but it does require a few tips and tactics to make it truly delicious. With that in mind, we will share with you a Ratatouille recipe that you will definitely love.

What is Ratatouille?

Isn’t it great to say “ratatouille”? The word pronounced is “rat-tuh-TOO-ee”!

This simple and rustic vegetable stew originates from Nice, a sunny, Mediterranean-front city in southern France. This area is renowned for its delicious fish and profusion of fresh products. When tomatoes, yellow squash, and zucchini are at their best in the summer, the locals prepare large quantities of this filling and flavorful vegetable stew.

Ratatouille is usually prepared on the stovetop in Provence, with each vegetable being separately sautéed in olive oil until it becomes soft. After that, fresh herbs like thyme, basil, and rosemary are added to the tomato sauce along with garlic, and everything is cooked to allow the flavours to meld.

Ratatouille, a peasant dish comprising a braised mix of whatever summer vegetables were on hand or any leftover vegetable scraps, was originally a staple of low-income people. In the ratatouille pot, you can add eggplant, zucchini, squashes, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and whatever else you discover that day. It’s straightforward and rustic, but it becomes a Mediterranean masterpiece when prepared with the perfect ingredients.

Disney’s 2007 film “Ratatouille” helped to popularize the dish worldwide. It centres on Remy, a young rat who enjoys cooking. The story, set in Paris, centres on his aspirations to work as a chef in a renowned French restaurant with the assistance of his buddy Alfredo Linguini. As the film closes, Remy is preparing Ratatouille. Furthermore, anybody can cook if Remy can.

Even though Remy called the meal “ratatouille,” culinary experts disagree. Remy’s recipe is “tian,” a layered vegetable dish from Provencia, rather than the classic French Ratatouille.

Tian and Ratatouille have a lot of elements in common overall. They both often have a tomato-based sauce and employ summer veggies. The preparation techniques used to make the two meals differ. A casserole dish filled with artistically placed thinly sliced veggies is called tian.

In contrast, Ratatouille typically consists of frying thinly sliced or cubed vegetables in olive oil until they’re cooked through, and tomato sauce is added.

How to Make Easy Ratatouille Recipe?

To make Ratatouille, you must have the ingredients and the right recipe. So, let’s uncover the required ingredients & recipe without talking much.

Ingredients

• Eggplant – Ratatouille may be the best among dishes where eggplant is the hero. It becomes creamy, buttery, and falls apart soft once it is cooked and caramelized.
• Summer Squashes – Summer squash typically used in Ratatouille include zucchini and yellow squash.
• Bell Peppers – Use bell peppers of any hue. Ratatouille looks nicer when made with multi-coloured peppers.
• Tomatoes – Use only ripe, delicious, fresh tomatoes. Campari tomatoes are a bit smaller but so delicious that we love them so much that we refer to them as sugar bombs. Ripe Roma tomatoes or tomatoes straight off the vine can also be used.
•  Onion – Use any available onion; we used red onions this time. Together with the tomatoes, this produces the sauce.
• Fresh herbs & spices – Garlic, red chilli flakes, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, and fresh basil. In a pinch, dried herbs can be substituted for fresh ones.
•  Extra virgin oil – To make Ratatouille substantial and rich, you must use a significant amount of extra virgin oil.
• Some salt & pepper

Traditional Ratatouille Recipe

The vegetables are cooked in olive oil at varying times before adding them to the tomato sauce. In this manner, the vegetables that cook more quickly don’t go mushy and maintain their unique structure.

All vegetables, including yellow squash, zucchini, and eggplant, can be cooked individually. However, we discovered that these three vegetables may all be cooked simultaneously; they only require more space to avoid steaming. To ensure they are browned before being simmered in the tomato sauce, cook them in batches.

Easy Ratatouille Recipe

1. The first step for the ratatouille recipe is to finely chop the vegetables and thoroughly combine them in a big basin. Four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil are heated in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. To ensure that the veggies cook virtually in a single layer, cook them in two or three batches, depending on the size of your Dutch oven. After adding salt and pepper to taste, simmer the vegetables for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Shift over to a platter.
2.  Add onion and the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil. For five minutes, sauté. For three to four minutes, sauté the garlic and bell peppers. Add the diced tomatoes, red chilli flakes, rosemary, thyme, and salt & pepper. Simmer the tomatoes for ten minutes or until they become a sauce.
3. Return the eggplants, zucchini, and yellow squash to the sauce and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes or until the veggies are tender to your taste.
4. We like our Ratatouille to be tender but still chunky, although others like theirs to cook longer. Add the basil leaves and taste to adjust the amount of salt and pepper.
5. Garnish it with freshly chopped basil, extra virgin olive oil, and optional red chilli flakes. Serve it with mozzarella or parmesan cheese, grated.

Finally, it’s time to serve the dish to your near & dear ones.

Time to Try Ratatouille Recipe Easy 

There’s no better way to celebrate summer than by making Ratatouille, especially when your kitchen is stocked with fresh veggies.

Prepare this delicious traditional French stew to satisfy your near & dear ones by trying our Ratatouille recipe best in taste. Admire the straightforward but delectable Mediterranean tastes and share your passion for stunning meals. You can check Foodcharger and start making something new for more mouth-watering dishes.