Take Me to Paris Ratatouille

I’ve been to Paris only once, but I have memories to last a lifetime (and I wasn’t even there on vacation!). A quick work trip took me to the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame (pre-fire), as well as every tiny corner bistro and bakery we could find (on top of many malls, shops, and fitness boutiques!).

I met ratatouille for the first time and fell in love. I ordered it at every restaurant, and when I came home, I tried to re-create it (with the help of a common recipe from Martha Stewart).

I hadn’t made this for what seems like years, but something about watching Emily in Paris gave me quite a craving for Frenchie food.

TAKE ME TO PARIS RATATOUILLE

INGREDIENTS:

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
Olive oil to drizzle around the pan
1 large eggplant (around 1 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 large onions, roughly chopped
1 head of garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
2 bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
2 zucchini, diced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a colander, toss eggplant with a generous sprinkle of salt. Let sit 20 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid using a paper towel.

In a large pot (I use my Dutch oven) over medium heat, heat around 4 tablespoons oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onions and garlic are soft. Add peppers and cook until crisp-tender, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

Next, add tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bay leaf, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook until veggies are tender (but not mushy—v. important!). This should take around 15 minutes. Season to taste with vinegar, salt, and pepper, if desired. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before serving.