Eggplant Can Be Scary!
True confession…I have not always been a fan of eggplant! Growing up I only had it a few times, and it always seemed bitter, or…just not good. So of course, as an adult I managed to overlook the dark purple beasts when picking my veggies every week.
But, as some of you know, I am a cooking show fanatic, and eggplant is featured quite often by my favorite chefs. So I set out on a mission to conquer eggplant, and in the process found a number of ways to cook it that I absolutely love!
Ratatouille à la A Slice of Spice
Ratatouille (rat-a-too-ee) is one of those dishes that marries eggplant with a medley of other flavors that just seem to belong together. Some Ratatouille recipes saute all of the vegetables in a pan until tender, but I really like the oven-baked textures of this recipe (and the fact that I can do something else while it’s cooking!). “
“If you focus on what you left behind, then how can you see what lies ahead?” ― Gusteau, Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a French Provencal vegetable stew that originated in Nice in the 19th century, although there are similar stews in Mediterranean and Indian cuisines. It was once considered a peasant dish, but can now often be found in restaurants.
When I’m in a hurry I just cube all of the veggies, but when I have the time (or have guests over) I really l love the way this sliced version looks in the pan. It takes a little time (I used a mandolin to slice evenly and save time), but it is so worth it!
First things first…mise en place (everything in place). This is the French term for “get all of your stuff together before you start or you will be sorry!” Dice the onions and bell peppers and mince the garlic. Slice the zucchini, yellow squash, fresh tomatoes, and eggplant into about 1/4″ thick slices. Since eggplant is typically bigger around than the squash I usually cut my discs in half to look more uniform. Chop the fresh herbs. Now you are ready to cook!
I start by sauteing the onions and bell peppers (I like to use the yellow ones for that pop of color) with a little olive oil in an oven safe pan (I love my cast iron skillet for this!) for a few minutes, just to start sweating out the flavors. Then I add a few cloves of minced garlic (don’t add this too early because garlic burns easily and gets bitter). Then add the diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and fennel (if using) and simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Arrange the slices of vegetables around the outer part of the pan into the tomato sauce mixture, alternating eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. Repeat the layering in a second ring inside the first row, then add slices to the center to fill in the remaining space. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Mix olive oil, fresh herbs, and balsamic vinegar together. Remove pan from the oven and take off the foil covering. Drizzle vegetables with the herb mixture. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle parmesan cheese, then mozzarella cheese over the top and put back into the oven at 375 degrees for 20 more minutes. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread or some naan for a delicious meatless dish. Or as a side with roasted chicken. Or with pasta or rice. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination. We even had some in omelets the next morning and they were amazing!
This is not one of the quickest recipes to make because of the bake time, but it cooks in one pan and is so good you will find it’s worth the wait! I hope you give it a try, and let me know below what you think!
And if you enjoyed this recipe, please subscribe to A Slice of Spice so you don’t miss any of the deliciousness! Until next time, keep it spicy!
Michele
Ratatouille
A fragrant vegetable stew from the French Riviera…with a detour through A Slice of Spice kitchens.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion – chopped
- 1 bell pepper – chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp fennel seed – optional
- 1 pinch sugar
Vegetable Layer
- 1 eggplant – sliced
- 2 zucchini – sliced
- 2 yellow squash – sliced
- 4 small tomatoes or roma tomatoes – sliced
Herb Drizzle
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh basil – chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano – chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley – chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese – grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese – grated
Instructions
Tomato Sauce
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Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and bell pepper and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and simmer one minute more. Add both cans of chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and fennel. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
Vegetable Layer
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange vegetable slices around the outer edge of the skillet on top of the tomato sauce, alternating eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, and tomato. Repeat to the inside of the first ring, then fill in the center with remaining slices. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and remove foil.
Herb Drizzle
-
Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh herbs. Drizzle over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Put back into the oven uncovered for 20 more minutes. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes.
I love the colors of the vegetables when you arrange it in the pan. The pictures looks very delicious and flavorful. I’m sure that my parents will love this dish. Thank you for sharing this recipe. 🙂
Thank you Mae for visiting my site! I hope they love it!
I love eggplant. Growing up my mom even make it for breakfast (fried eggplant dip with eggs). I will try your recipe. Maybe my hubby will like it 🙂
I hope you both love it! Let me know if you give it a try!
This looks so good! I really want to try to make it this weekend. It seems quite easy, and I don’t mind when dishes have to cook for long. That just means that the house will smell delicious for a few hours! And I LOVE when everything goes in one dish! Also made me want to watch the movie again hah!
Thanks Eileen! If you give it a try come back and let me know how you liked it!
This looks so good! I’ve only tried once to cook with eggplant and it didn’t turn out very well. I’m going to have to try this recipe!
Thanks Kristi! I hope you give it another try!
All over this! I have been wanting to make ratatouille for some time now and this recipe seems like a good fit! Yum!
I hope you try it! Let me know if you do!
My husband would love this… alas… I am horrible in the kitchen…
LOL! On the bright side, it is still delicious if you cube the veggies all together!
I make Ratatouille alot but not this way and ysually without eggplant. I need to try this.
Let me know how you like it Pauline.
One of my all-time favorite dishes, the sliced version makes such a nice presentation too!
It is pretty! More work than I usually do for it, but some nights you just need fancy!
That recipe looks DELICIOUS! I’ve never actually had ratatouille before, but I definitely want to try it!
you should! If you are a veggie lover you can’t miss with this!
Wow! What an amazing looking dish! Must try!
Thank you Dennis!
I always think that ratatouille is such a beautiful dish! I love the combinations of flavors as well!
Me too! And the colors are so beautiful!
I love eggplant – especially eggplant parmesan – it just melts in your mouth. We make pizza bites out of eggplant too. I’ve not tried the Ratatouille, but since I love veggies, it would be a good one to try…. just need to muster up the motivation for the extra work. I’d probably cube it like you mentioned!
Cubing it is quick and easy!
This looks wonderful! I’m plant based, no dairy. Could I leave the cheese off and have it turn out ok?
It is absolutely delicious without the cheese. We typically don’t add cheese either, particularly if we eat it as a side.
You dish is lovely – very artfully designed – we eat with our eyes first!
thank you Sandi!
This looks soooo delicious, I need to make this!
Let me know if you do!
This looks so good! I didn’t used to like eggplant either, but my mom makes this eggplant parmesan that is AMAZING!
Ohhh! I would love to try it!
I have been trying to eat more vegetables. This looks like a delicious way to do it. I am looking forward to trying it.
Let me know if you try it!
Always makes me think of the animated movie. Sounds like a great recipe.
I know! You can’t help but smile if you’ve seen that movie!
I never knew what ratatouille was. This looks amazing!
It is delish!
I never knew what ratatouille was but it looks delicious.
It really is!
I am actually not a ratatouille fan but this looks great!
Thanks Tricia
I really have come to love eggplant over the last few years. This looks absolutely delicious! I don’t eat dairy, so I’m wondering how it would taste without the cheese (I know, not as good). If I try it, I’ll let you know. By the way, I love your posts and nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. See my last post!
Thank you Ramae! I appreciate the nod! And this recipe is scrumptious without cheese! 🙂
Ratatouille is one of my favorite dishes I grow fresh eggplant and zucchini in my garden so I can have it at least once a week during the summer! Thanks for this different recipe!
Hope you try it!
I love eggplant parmesan over chicken parmesan any day! This looks so colorful and delicious! Thanks!
Thanks Akiko!
I’m trying to eat more veggies and this looks like the perfect way to do it deliciously!
It is so yummy!
I love eggplants! And the funny thing is as you I did not like them when I was a kid. And this dish looks very appetizing 😋. I don’t use cheese, but my husband will love it ❤️
This is scrumptious even without the cheese!
What a colorful recipe! It looks delicious!
Thank you Brittany!