About the Recipe
Ratatouille always makes me think of lazy sunny days on holiday. It’s an easy dish to quickly whip together and pop into the oven, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.
Although aubergines and courgettes are available year-round, they’re actually in season in summer. It’s when they’re the tastiest (and cheapest) so it’s the perfect summer holiday dish.
Ingredients
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
150g jar of roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped (plus extra for serving)
2 teaspoons dry oregano
2 teaspoons dry thyme
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence (or mixed herbs)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
400g tin of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 large courgette, thinly sliced into rounds
1 medium aubergine, thinly sliced into half moons
1 red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced into half moons
½ teaspoon paprika
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Pre-heat your oven to 200C.
Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, red peppers, herbs, vinegar and olive oil to your food processor. Blitz it all together to make a smooth sauce. Pour the sauce into a 22x30cm baking dish. Add the butter beans to the sauce and give it a gentle stir.
Add your sliced veggies in rows on top of the sauce forming sausage-like shapes. Start at one end of the dish creating the rows using alternating colours.
Once you’ve used all your veg, drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt and paprika on top.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until the veg are soft and cooked through.
Leave to stand for 5 minutes when cooked then scatter fresh basil leaves on top. Serve with wild rice or a crusty loaf for soaking up all the yummy juices. Take to the table and wait for the oooo’s and aaaah’s as everyone tucks in!