#83 Ratatouille's Ratatouille

Have you seen Pixar's animated movie, Ratatouille? If not, oh you have to see it! It is hilarous! After watching it together for a million times several weekends ago, we were determined to make the dish featured in the movie. Ratatouille or Ratatouille Niçoise, is a spring vegetable dish that originated in Provence, France. This dish, widely popularized  by the animated movie, is very appealing to kids and kids-at-heart like me. In the movie, it looked complicated to make, but after searching, we found several recipes. It is very simple to make and nutritious! What is amazing about this recipe that I am about to share is the elegant fragrance of the cooked Ratatouille. One of the secrets: Herbes de Provence, Aha! It has a lavender, marjoram, savory, fennel, thyme, rosemary, basil, tarragon. The beautiful mix of all the ingredients. An absolute delight! Make it for yourself, your friends and family, especially the little ones.. it is guaranteed fun and a great food for every one. We made the Ratatouille by layering and baking it just like in the movie. I'm glad it turned out delicious!

 

Ratatouille


Ingredients:

1 eggplant, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onions, sliced thinly
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon flat leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 400 F degrees. In a baking sheet or dish, drizzle olive oil at the bottom, then sprinkle herbes de provence. Add the tomatoes, garlic, onions, bay leaf.
2. Saute eggplant in remaining olive oil until almost done. Remove from heat.
3. Arrange the sauteed eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper. (See photographs). Cover with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. Add the sprinkled chopped fresh basil and flat leaf parsley, bake for another 10 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste.

I think you can do without the parchment paper. I watched the Ratatouille closely after I added the fresh herbs (step 4), because I like the taste of vegetables that are not thoroughly cooked, especially the zucchini. But you can also extend up to 55 minutes or so, depending on how done you like your vegetables to be. Just don't burn it and it will be so good!

 

I knew I was going to make this when I first started this insane blogging project we have going on right now. The drawings of places where the dish originated are replaced with so much curiosity in the kitchen and we have been cooking together a lot lately. And she does take good pictures too! Here is my final product, I worked very hard to present it the way Remy, the anthropomorphic rat who has an exceptional cooking ability, did it in the movie. :)

And Miss Little Chef and picky eater, decided it is time to try zucchini, she will try the rest next time.

Look at how she artfully made her plate:

And this one she made for me. She said, THIS is how Remy presented it. :)

In the movie, Chef  Gusteau says: "Anyone can cook!"

 "I made Ratatouille!", she said it with glee, and ate the zucchini with much gusto. 

This is one of the many reasons why I know I won't stop cooking.