Roasted Ratatouille Recipe
The eggplant harvest varies from year to year and I never know what I am going to get. Some years I am drowning in them, others years there are just enough to enjoy for dinner a few nights. I am not complaining by any stretch as eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables – well, technically a fruit, but whatever – and I am happy to have them. I’ve been trying all kinds of different ways to eat them along with old favorite recipes. Ratatouille is a classic and I do make it every year, in fact I often can some for use all year round. I thought I’d try something different since I had so much to play with so I made roasted ratatouille. It was mighty tasty if I do say so myself.
Just to show you what the harvest can be like check out these eggplants. It’s almost like a zucchini harvest! But I don’t mind all of these.
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They come in all shapes and sizes too! Granted we are growing two varieties; Italian and Japanese but still, the size differential is pretty funny. I will have a post later detailing what I’m doing with most of them.
Roasted Ratatouille
Serves 3 – 4
4 large tomatoes
1 large zucchini
1 large Italian eggplant
3 garlic cloves
3 TBS olive oil
3 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 TBS vodka optional
6 cups cooked penne pasta
mozzarella cheese for grating
Preheat oven to 350°
Blanch and peel the tomatoes. Cut them into slices, putting the seeds and juice into a bowl for use later.- Spray a baking dish (13 x 9 x 2″) with cooking spray and lay the slices of tomato in the dish, sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and drizzle with 1 TBS of olive oil.
- Wash the eggplant, trim and cut into small cubes.
- Spray a baking dish (13 x 9 x 2″) with cooking spray. Add the eggplant cubes and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and add 1 TBS olive oil. Stir to mix well.
- Wash and trim the zucchini. Cut it into small cubes.
- Spray a baking dish (13 x 9 x 2″) with cooking spray. Add the zucchini cubes and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and drizzle with 1 TBS of olive oil. Mix well to distribute oil and salt.
- Cut the garlic cloves into small pieces and add evenly to the baking dishes. Mix well.
- Bake in the preheated oven for half an hour, stir the eggplant and zucchini. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes into a small sauce pan and set aside. Return to the oven. Roast the vegetables for another half hour.
- While the vegetables are roasting Strain the liquid from cutting the tomatoes into a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the two liquids together and heat over medium high heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer.
- Add the sugar and vodka if using. Let cook until thickened. Salt to taste. Set aside.
- Add the cooked eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes to a bowl.
- Gently mix together. Taste and add salt if necessary.
- Add the cooked penne to the reduced tomato sauce and heat through
- To serve: add the penne to a bowl and top with the ratatouille. Add grated cheese.
How Was the Roasted Ratatouille?
In a word – heavenly. Sometimes the simplest food is the most delicious. There is nothing earth shattering or complicated or new here. It’s just simple, fresh vegetables. Instead of cooking them on the stovetop I roasted them which really brought out the flavor. I don’t think it took any more time but I liked it better than the traditional way I’ve made it in the past.
I love using eggplant in meals like baked eggplant parmesan and eggplant pizza. It’s such a versatile vegetable and I enjoy using it in many different ways.
