Atomic Ratatouille

FASTER

VEGETARIAN

GLUTEN-FREE

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Don’t want to spend all Tuesday night stirring to make a side dish to go with steaks or chops off the grill? Make this simple ratatouille spiked with caponata, a Sicilian eggplant spread you can find at your local grocery store. The side dish is done in minutes in the microwave with very little fuss.

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and cut into strips

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

One 8-ounce jar caponata

1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 2 ounces)

1. Combine the zucchini, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, and caponata in a large microwave-safe bowl.

2. Cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap or a lid with the vent closed. Microwave on high, stirring after 7 minutes, for 14 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving.

Test Kitchen Notes

• The thinner you slice the zucchini, the more the rounds will melt into the classic consistency. Consider ⅛ inch to be the right thickness. If you find that the ratatouille is a bit too soft for your taste, increase the slices to just shy of ¼ inch thick on the next go-round.

• To thinly slice an onion into strips, slice off the root end, cut in half through the stem (i.e., not through the equator), and set it cut side down on the cutting board, stem pointing away from you. Make thin slices across the onion, thereby producing thin strips instead of rings.

• The canned tomatoes must be drained. Use a fine-mesh colander or line a standard colander with paper towels.

• If you’re concerned about plastic wrap touching hot food, cover the bowl with a plate instead.

• Some store-bought caponata is thickened with wheat-based additives. If gluten is an issue, check the label to be sure.

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Voilà! To clean up dried, splattered food in a microwave, mix 1 cup water and ¼ cup distilled white vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave on high until boiling, 3 to 4 minutes for most ovens. Leave the steaming bowl in the closed oven for 5 minutes. The steam will loosen food bits and deodorize the oven. Just wipe clean.