SERVES 10
MY RATATOUILLE is a colorful vegetable stew that’s light, hearty, and flavorful. I like to cook it for less time than the classic French version, to celebrate the brightness of each vegetable. The result is more a light sauce than a heavy stew. But you can cook it longer to generate a softer stew, hearty enough to serve over grains or rice to become a meal.
1¼ cups olive oil
2 pounds eggplant, roughly chopped (about 6 cups)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
Large pinch fresh or dried rosemary leaves
Pinch dried oregano
1½ pounds green zucchini (about 3 medium), roughly chopped
1½ pounds yellow zucchini (about 3 medium), roughly chopped
3 pounds tomatoes (about 4 large), chopped
4 cups My Tomato Sauce (here) or other good tomato sauce
Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Heat ½ cup of the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the eggplant, a pinch of the chopped garlic and a pinch of the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is golden and almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining ¾ cup oil in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onions, rosemary, oregano, remaining garlic, remaining pinch of pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.
Add the green and yellow zucchini, salt, and pepper and sweat for about 5 minutes. Add two-thirds of the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook until the liquid has thickened a bit but the tomatoes still hold their shape, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked eggplant to the pot and cook for a couple minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in the remaining tomatoes and the basil. Serve the ratatouille hot, warm, or cold.