Ratatouille

by Sara S. Monick, Guest Tastemaker - a cooking instructor since 1977; Chef and culinary travel guide extraordinaire. She studied with Madeleine Kamman, Jacques Pepin, Nicholas Malgieri & Giuliano Bugialli.

Ingredients
1 lb eggplant
1 lb zucchini
1 tsp salt
4 or more Tbsp olive oil
1 lb sliced onions (3 cups)
2 red peppers, sliced
4 cloves garlic, mashed
salt & pepper
2 lb. fresh tomatoes or 2 cups canned
Fresh basil

Instructions

1. Peel eggplant and cut into 1 inch cubes. Wash zucchini and cut into half inch slices. Toss the vegetables with the salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and dry.
2. Heat olive oil in large frying pan and sauté eggplant and zucchini lightly. Remove and set aside. Add more oil if necessary and sauté onions and peppers until soft. Stir in garlic and season with salt and pepper. 
3. Slice tomato into strips and place over onions and peppers. Cover pan and cook 5 minutes. Uncover, raise heat and boil for several minutes until juice has almost evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. 
4. Spoon a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a large casserole pan. Arrange half of eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes. Cover with remaining eggplant and zucchini, and last of the tomatoes. Cover casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Tip casserole and baste with juices. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Raise heat and boil gently until juices have almost evaporated. 
5. This presentation can take many shapes; make it your own. 

Cook’s Note

1. Casserole pan can be a skillet with higher sides or a dutch oven or any pan that gives you extra space to work with. 
2. Take the leftovers and simmer with chicken broth, then put them in a blender and add parmesan to the top.