Traditional ratatouille is a stewed vegetable dish made with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and garlic, with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and red wine.
Place chopped eggplant in a colander and toss with 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Let sit 20 minutes, rinse, and then squeeze out excess liquid. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
For canned whole tomatoes, break them up into 1-inch pieces with a knife, or with your fingers. For fresh tomatoes, blanch them first to remove their skins. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slit the tomato skins with a knife and submerge in boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes and shock in a bowl of ice water to cool. Peel off the skins, and chop into 1-inch pieces, preserving the juices as you do so. Pour tomatoes into a baking dish, add half the garlic, and drizzle with two tablespoons olive oil. Bake in the same oven until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
For the sauté
While the tomatoes and eggplant bake, start preparing the rest of the vegetables for the saute. Once the onions are chopped, move to the next step to start the sauté.
Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large (large enough to fit the entire recipe) saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and remaining garlic, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the bell peppers. Add peppers to the saucepan sauté another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, chop the zucchini. Add zucchini, bay leaf, and oregano, and continue to cook until lightly browned.
Once the tomatoes and eggplant are out of the oven, add them to the saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a gentle simmer until vegetables are cooked to your liking. If you prefer the vegetables just tender, it will take about 15 minutes. If you prefer the vegetables well-cooked, it will be more like 30 minutes.
Add vinegar and stir well. Taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Notes
Italian eggplant are the most traditional to use for this recipe. These eggplant are smaller and thinner than the common globe eggplants. Either type will work, actually any type of eggplant would work.This recipe can also be make with any kind of French herb. Try adding similar amounts of rosemary, marjoram, basil, thyme, Herbes de Provence, or even celery, and experiment to your heart’s content.