Ratatouille is a vegetable stew from the Provence region of Southern France. It makes a colourful and delicious summer vegetable dish when courgettes, tomatoes, aubergines and peppers are relatively cheap. Serve it hot with roast or grilled lamb and pork, or chilled with garlic bread as a starter.
ingredients
2 tbsp (25 g) 1 oz butter
2 tablespoons oil
2 aubergines (egg plant), sliced
3 courgette (zucchini)s, sliced
1 green or red pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cucumber, sliced
4 tomatoes, skinned and sliced
2 onions, sliced
salt
Pepper
1 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
method
1. Melt the butter with the oil in a flameproof casserole.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
3. Cover tightly and transfer to a preheated moderate oven 180°C (350°F) Gas Mark 4.
4. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until all the vegetables are very tender.
5. Alternatively, the ratatouille may be cooked gently on top of the stove.
See the food glossary for information on recipe ingredients and
food-related terms, and for help on using cooking measurements, see
the measurements page.