Ratatouille

My kids and I love the movie Ratatouille, weve been watching it a lot lately and the kids asked me if I could make the dish. I know they are not fond of vegetables because I tried to make an omelet once with yellow squash and zuchinni and they didnt like it, I didnt like it either.
I read the ingredients that go on the dish, so far I like the recipe, it has garlic(my personal fav), onions, bay leaves, parsley, tomatoes and thyme(I love those preety little leaves packed with so much flavor!), very tasty and aromatic herbs. Eggplant, well I tried to make something a few years ago and it didnt come out right so I was a little apprehensive to cook with it again. I had a tough time finding eggplant in this town but I found some yey!bought zuchinni and also the yellow squash. I was ready to make the dish!
I did my research on the internet and viewed some videos on YouTube on how to make it. Came accros a video I really liked, its actually from the movie Rattatouille, a video called "Cooking with Mickey".

I followed the recipe except for the part of roasting the peppers before adding them. Ill do that next time.

My sister gave me a few tips and ideas for the next time I make it(its her favorite vegetable dish) I am definetely going to try her tips. Take some big bread rolls and turn them into bowls, toast in the oven with some olive oil after toasting pour the rattatouille in it, yum!!

Since this was my fist time making the Ratatouille, I knew it wasn't going to be perfect, even though I followed the recipe, something always goes wrong in my kitchen. I overcooked the veggies! the recipe needed to be baked for 2 hours?! and so it was a bit soupy, veggies soft, falling apart soft. I baked it covered it with a lid( needed to use parchment paper) and I didn't reduce the sauce that I made for it. Its ok, I didn't fret, the dish was delicious and my husband and kids except for one, loved the dish!
My daughters also loved the vinnaigrette, so much flavor! It had balsamic vinegar(used pomegranate balsamic vinegar) freshly chopped oregano, sage and the olive oil mixed with the sauce I set aside that was used for the bottom of the dish. My kids they cleaned their plates with bread, soaking up every last drop of the Ratatouille. It was a delicious dish and Im making it again this weekend :)

Ratatouille

1 Eggplant (I used half of a medium sized)
2 medium Yellow Squash
1 medium Zuchinni
3 medium Tomatoes
1 can chopped or diced tomatoes

For the Ratatouille sauce
2 cups chopped roasted Red, Yellow, Orange Peppers
1/2 cup Onion
Fresh Thyme on the stem
Bay leaf


For the sauce made for the Ratatouille ( garlic, onions, chopped tomatoes, peppers, parsley and thyme and bayleaf, make sure to remove the bay leaf)

Garlic Thyme sauce
1/8 tsp Thyme(if using fresh, remove the leaves toss the stem)
2 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

For the vinagrette

1 tsp Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 Thyme
1/8 Basil
1/8 Oregano
1/8 Sage
1 Tblsp Olive oil
2 tblsp Ratatouille sauce

Sautee onions and garlic on olive oil until translucent, then add the chopped tomatoes(with juice) and peppers. Add parsley, bay leaf and thyme on the stem, simmer until the thyme is wilted then remove it and remove the bay leaf. Simmer and reduce the sauce( let some excess water evaporate, do not cover). Simmer for about 10 minutes. Save some extra sauce for making the vinagrette sauce later.

Slice the eggplant, zuchinni, squash and tomatoes, about 1 inch thick, set aside. Pour the sauce on a skillet, place the sliced vegetables on top of the sauce, place veggies circular pattern, tomatoes, squash, zuchini, eggplant wichever way you like.

Pour the garlic thyme sauce over the veggies, cover with parchment paper and bake at 275 degrees for two hours. ( I made the mistake of baking it covered, accidentally speeded up the cooking process so it took about an hour for my dish to cook). I think it also depends how thick you slice the veggies and what you use for covering the dish. Also the sauce needs to be reduced.

Once the veggies are tender, pour delicious vinagrette/ratatouille sauce on it.

Serve with toasted bread and add the Garlic Thyme sauce or Vinagrette on it yum!


This was my first time making this dish, if you encounter mistakes, my bad. Like I posted on my previous post, cook the recipes I blog about at your own risk lol!

Have fun cooking, enjoy food!!