Petes Total Food

There’s something special about Ratatouille—maybe it’s the beautiful French food, the cozy Parisian kitchen, or the idea that anyone can create something amazing in the kitchen. Today, we’re bringing one of the movie’s most iconic dishes to life: ratatouille. Made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a simple tomato sauce, this dish is proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients to make something that looks and tastes great. So let’s cook up our own little taste of Paris, just like Remy.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 1 1/2 Hours | Serves: 4-6 | See Full Video Below

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Shallots
• 1 Head of Garlic
• 2 Sprigs of Rosemary
• 2 Sprigs of Thyme
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Cups Tomato Sauce 
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Zucchini 
• 1 Yellow Squash
• 1 Japanese Eggplant
• 2 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Parsley Leaves
• 1 Chive

Directions:

• Start by roughly chopping one shallot and the head of garlic in half
• Add the olive oil to a small pot along with the chopped shallot, head of garlic, thyme, and rosemary sprigs, then heat to a gentle simmer
• Remove from the heat once it reaches a simmer, then let it rest for 30-60 minutes to infuse
• To make the piperade sauce (peppers and tomatoes) start by roasting the skin of a red bell pepper
• You can do this by holding it directly above the stovetop burner, heating it in a dry pan, or using a blowtorch (doing this enhances the flavor and makes the skin easy to come off)
• Once the skin is entirely blackened, use a kitchen towel, paper towel, or the sink the gently remove the skin, it should come off with ease
• After removing the skin, slice the pepper in half and remove the stem and seeds, then place the pepper in a bowl and set aside
• Next, roughly chop the second shallot and do the same with the 3-4 cloves of garlic
• Strain the infused olive oil into a container
• Add a few tablespoons of the infused oil to a pan over medium-high heat, then cook the shallot and garlic cloves for just a few minutes until translucent. Be sure to salt them
• Get out a blender and blend the pepper, 2 cups of tomato sauce, cooked shallot and garlic, and a touch of sugar
• Pour the mix back into a pan and heat for 10-15 minutes while occasionally stirring until slightly thickened, then reserve 1/4 cup of sauce for later
• Layer the sauce into an oven-safe dish then set aside
• Use a mandolin to slice the zucchini, squash and eggplant ⅛”
• Because the tomato has so much water content, the mandolin will make it mush, instead use a sharp knife and match the other cuts (⅛”)
• Layer the vegetables in the same order every time – zucchini, squash, eggplant and tomato
• Continue to layer the slices on top of each other until in creates a ring (see video)
• Create a second ring inside the outside ring
• There should be just enough space to lay one more line of slices, not enough to create a third ring unless you are using a circle shaped pan
• Before baking, drizzle some of the infused oil all over, then cover with a cartouche (parchment paper cutout) and place the dish in the oven
• Bake the ratatouille at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-45 minutes
• To make the vinaigrette, simply add the reserved 1/4 cup of sauce to a bowl with the dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and a touch of salt a pepper, then whisk together
• Next slowly add in 1/4 cup of the infused oil while constantly whisking
• To serve, use a 1/2 cup measurement, pack slices in the measuring cup until it’s tight
• Turn the measurement cup over and tap the top to reveal a tall mound of slices
• Use a spoon to create a circle of sauce around the mound
• Place little bits of parsley in the circle of sauce
• Finally place the end of a chive on top and enjoy!