In desperate need for some nicer weather – sans snow, rain, mud, cold, chills and the rest of the misery, I decided to target a dish from the south of France. How much more cuisine régionale can you get then with a Ratatouille? And now thanks to a certain movie this dish has grown in popularity. Rats! So settle down for a moment, order your Pastis and light up a Gauloise while I continue.
This is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille niçoise. The word ratatouille comes from Occitan ratatolha. It is also used in French (touiller, also means to toss food). Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Occitan Provença (French: Provence) & Niça (French: Nice, Occitan: Niça). It was originally an everyday dish prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables. The first literary mention of “ratatouille” was in the mid-1800’s. French poet and author Alfred de Vigny wrote, “It is agreeable, this mixture of potatoes, mutton and bread which is called ratatouille.” As early as the 1820’s French soldiers had coined the word “rata”. To them it meant a hot dish of poor ingredients, badly made. There was a marching song at the time which had a refrain, “C’est pas d’la soupe, c’est du rata!” (It’s not soup, it’s rata!) In Marcel Pagnol’s “Fanny”1932, “Un jour, je serai plus fort que lui − et alors, quelle ratatouille je lui foutrai ! ” (one day, I’ll be stronger than him and then what a beating he’ll get.)
The original Ratatolha de Niça or Ratatouia Nizzarda used only zucchini (courgettes), tomatoes, green and red peppers (bell peppers), onion, and garlic. The dish known today as ratatouille adds eggplant (aubergine) to that mixture. Essentially the same dish is known as Pisto manchego in Spain. Although ratatouille seems synonymous with summer because it comes from sunny Provence, I think it’s really a dish to make all year long.
Serve the dish hot, cold or at room temperature as an antipasto or side dish. For a vegetarian dinner, serve over couscous. There are several “schools” of ratatouille and purists say you should sauté each vegetable separately. It’ s the result that counts so try it both ways and then decide!
Ingredients (serves 4)
1/2 cup olive oil, or more
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 large eggplants (aubergine), cut into large dice (4 cups), peeled or not
3 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into 1/4-inch slices (4 cups)
2 red or green peppers (both for color) cut into strips, core and seeds removed, (3 cups)
4 large tomatoes, cut into large chunks (4 cups) or 14 oz Italian tomatoes well drained.
At least 3 cloves of garlic, diced fine. Use as many as you want.
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, optional
1/2 cup basil leaves – You want plenty of basil. If you can get fresh basil, so much the better: chop or shred it and throw it in.
2 tsp salt
Large pinch cayenne
10 black olives pitted (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Directions
Do not cut vegetables too small and drain the excess moisture from the courgettes and aubegergines when you start to cook.
1. Wipe the aubergines and cut into 2.5cm slices the halve again
2. Wipe and cut the courgettes into 2.5cm slices
3. Put all in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt and press down with a suitable sized plate and allow to stand for an hour. The salt removes the excess moisture and bitterness
4. Chop up onions roughly
5. Deseed, core and chop the peppers
6. Skin the tomatoes by plunging then into boiling water for a couple of minutes then quarter them and take out all the seeds
7. Fry the onions and garlic gently in the oil for 10 minutes then add the peppers.
8. Dry the aubergines and courgettes and add to the pan.
9. Mix in the basil, thyme and seasoning of salt and pepper and stir well. Add cayenne and diced olives (optional.)
10. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes; try out the wine.
11. Add the roughly chopped tomato flesh and to a taste test. If still standing continue to next step
12. Cook for an additional 15 minutes with the lid off.
Make some small round garlic croutons from a slice baguette by spreading them on a baking sheet and sprinkling with oil and chopped garlic. Serve the croutons with the ratatouille. You can add a little grated cheese just before serving.
Serve with rice – either plain or a pilaf or couscous, a tossed green salade (a la vinaigrette) and crusty French bread. If you want add to this you certainly opt for a nice piece of salmond, tuna or grilled chicken breast. You can’t go wrong. C’est aussi simple que ça!