Ratatouille

Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190°C, fan 170°C. Then use a sharp knife or mandoline and very carefully slice the aubergine, roma tomatoes and courgette into 1 mm thick circles, and then place to one side.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in an oven-safe pan over a medium to high heat. Add the diced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves and red pepper until soft. After 10 minutes, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and then add all of the crushed tomatoes. Stir until the ingredients are all completely mixed in together.

Remove the pan from the heat, then add 1 tbsp of the fresh basil. Smooth the surface of the tomato and vegetables mix with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon.

Arrange the sliced vegetables (aubergine, roma tomatoes and courgette) on top of the sauce working around from the outer edge of the pan into the centre, to create a swirling pattern. Season with salt and black pepper.

Then mix together the remaining basil, garlic cloves and olive oil with all of the fresh parsley and thyme, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Spoon this seasoning all over the vegetables.

Cover the dish with aluminium foil and place into the oven for around 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil, then place back into the oven for a further 20 minutes. Serve hot either as a delicious side dish, or the main event.

Tips & tricks

The strength of this dish really rests on the quality of the ratatouille ingredients you choose. This is a dish best made throughout summer and into early autumn, as the classic vegetables you’ll find in a ratatouille recipe are in season at this time. For a quick guide on which fruit and vegetables are in season at different points of the year, take a look at our infographic here.

Alongside selecting the best in-season ingredients, you’ll need a dash of patience. We’ve shared a reasonably efficient recipe above, but the longer you can stew the vegetables for the better. Some recipes even suggest you should stew the tomato and vegetable mix for several hours to extract all of the flavour.

The classic ratatouille dish has its signature swirl of vegetables on top. Make sure you slice these really thinly, to have enough to create a beautiful pattern with. We’d definitely recommend using a mandolin for this part of the process for ease and to create an equal thickness across the vegetable slices.

Recipe origin

This delicious recipe is said to have first originated with poor farmers during the 1700s in Nice. The dish was designed to make the most of all of the ingredients available, ensuring very little went to waste, and to create a heaty, filling stew. The name has its linguistic routes in the Occitan word “ratatolha” related to the French words “ratouiller” and “tatouiller” as forms of the verb “touiller” meaning “to stir up.” If you’re looking to create an entire menu inspired by famous French dishes, we have a whole host of recipes to choose from here.

Storage

You can store ratatouille in the fridge for around four to five days. It’s a dish that can be reheated too. Simply cover with kitchen foil and reheat in the oven for 15 minutes at gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.