TRADITIONAL RATATOUILLE

 

I enjoy cooking during fall. As the cooler weather begins to settle in, I make nice, cozy meals. Having food simmering on the stovetop or baking in the oven gives pleasant aromas floating in the air. It makes the atmosphere so warm and homey 🏡.
 
Like every season, I use fresh produce to create many recipes. I encourage David to eat meatless dishes more often. They can be Pasta alla Norma, Saag Aloo, Cauliflower Fried Rice, Samosas, Egyptian Farro Salad, Eggplant Rollatini, Falafel 🧆 with tahini sauce alongside couscous, and so on.
 
One French recipe that I love making during this time of year when summer transitions to autumn is my Traditional Ratatouille! This light dish is purely fabulous! Its fresh and natural taste makes it a great meal or side dish. This is a colorful 🌈 and healthy bowl loaded with deliciousness!
 
This dish is pronounced ‘ra-ta-touy’ in French…
Many of you will probably pronounce ‘ra-ta-too-yee’, but most of the last letters in words in French are not pronounced. Like ‘bon appétit’, people will pronounce the last ‘t’, while it’s completely silent. Some words, though, have the last letter pronounced but softly, as in ‘bonjour’. I know, French can be difficult 🙄…
 
What in the world am I doing? This is not a French 101 class!!
 
Back to my Traditional Ratatouille…
This is a lovely, versatile recipe. It can be served many different ways: hot, warm, or at room temperature. It pairs very well with grilled or roasted meats, fish 🐟, and so on. For a hearty main course, it’s served over pasta, rice, or polenta. I like it simply with plain crusty or garlic bread.
 
When there are leftovers, I like using them when I make a white omelet. I spoon on half of the omelet, and fold it over. In the morning, I place a fried egg 🍳 on top of the vegetable stew. It can also be served as a dish for a charcuterie board.
 
I mentioned in the video intro that this is a family recipe. Yes, overall. I add another ingredient that my aunts never used: eggplant. I don’t know why both sides of my family rarely used aubergine 🍆. It’s such a nice, healthy ingredient and a great meat substitute!
 
What takes the most time is sautéing both eggplant and zucchini 🥒. I use a ton of olive oil when I cook the eggplant cubes – they’re like little sponges. Altogether, I use ½ cup of it. I don’t mind it as olive oil is very good for us: heart-healthy, brain-protective, reduces inflammation, and more.
 
When these two are done, the rest is easy peasy. In the mixture, I use Roma tomatoes that are washed, seeded, and diced. On the other hand, they can be substituted with a can (14 oz.) of diced tomatoes 🥫, drained.
 
For the seasonings, there are Herbes de Provence, and red pepper flakes. Raw sugar also goes in, which helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes 🍅. As I always say, “taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary”. After all, this is your vegetable stew!
 
This Traditional Ratatouille is a dish that makes you feel good! Its bright colors combined with a medley of fresh vegetables is a fantastic recipe to welcome fall 🍂! This healthy vegetable stew can be enjoyed as either a side dish or main course…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Here are more delicious meatless recipes for you to try… 😀
– Greek Baked Beans • Gigantes Plaki
– Moroccan Green Spaghetti
– Pasta alla Caponata
– Georgian Cheese Bread • Khachapuri
– Zucchini Pancakes
– Roasted Winter Vegetable Pasta Salad
– Best Eggplant & Mushroom Veggie Burgers
– Butternut Squash Soup
– Torta Pasqualina • Easter Pie
– Avocado Sweet Pea Toast
and for even more side dish recipes 🍟🥔🌽, click on this link… Recipe Category • Sides & Vegetables

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit ➡ https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/traditional-ratatouille/ 😉

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