The Best Ratatouille Recipe

Some days when I make ratatouille the recipe differs to the time before. Ratatouille is one of those dishes which can vary according to the vegetables you have to hand, more courgettes, or zuccini, and less aubergine or the other way around and if I don't have nice, ripe, fresh tomatoes available then a good quality tin of plum tomatoes will suffice to make a fantastically tasty ratatouille.

I think that the following recipe is the best recipe for ratatouille I have tasted, but it can be flexible, stir in basil or parsley, whichever you prefer, and eat the ratatouille either hot or cold. The ratatouille makes an excellent side dish, served warm with roast chicken, lamb or pork and I also love it as a topping for a baked potato.

Once made up, the ratatouille should keep in the fridge for about 5 days so it is a perfect side dish to make in advance.

• 2 medium sized onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 aubergine (or more if you like)
• 4 to 5 courgettes, or zuccini, depending on their size
• 3 large red peppers
• 4 large vine ripened tomatoes, or 1 400g tin plum tomatoes (drained)
• olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
• fresh basil or parsley
  

• Start by slicing the onions... I like to cut my onions in half and slice each half into thin half-moon slices but it is entirely up to you how you slice them up.
• Next mince the garlic, I find that using my Microplane Grater is by far the easiest and least messy way of doing this.
• Cut the aubergine into thin half rounds and the courgettes (zuccini) into 1/2cm rounds.
• Cut the pepper in half to remove the cores and seeds then cut them up into strips or chunks.
• Skin the tomatoes, cut in half and remove the seeds then cut each half in 2, or, if using tinned tomatoes, drain them and squeeze out the seeds over a seive.

• Heat 5 to 6 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottomed, wide, pan. A non stick pan would be best if you have one.
• Put the onions into the pan and cook until they are nice and soft, but don't let them brown.
• Add the aubergine (eggplant) and cook for a minute or two before adding the courgettes, stirring them into the oil for a few minutes.
• Next add the peppers and garlic, adding a touch more oil if you think it is needed.
• Cover the pan and cook the whole lot gently for about 40 minutes. Make sure that you do cook the vegetables gently or the bottom will burn and the top will steam and spoil the flavour.
• Now add the tomatoes and coriander, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 30 t0 40 minutes until the vegetables are nice and soft but not mushy.
• Stir in the basil or parsley and enjoy the best ratatouille!
  

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