Ratatouille

A warming, hearty, colourful vegetable dish.

This is a French side dish.

The gentle cooking process preserves the flavour and individuality of the ingredients.

60 ml

Zaytoun FAIRTRADE olive oil

to taste

salt

to taste

FAIRTRADE freshly ground black pepper

medium aubergines

medium courgettes

medium white onions

colourful peppers (capsicum)

medium tomatoes

cloves garlic

5 ml

dried herbs

Wash the aubergines and courgettes, top and tail them, and cut into largish (2 cm) chunks.

Sprinkle generously with salt and allow to stand for about 30 minutes. Than pat the chunks dry with a kitchen towel.

Meanwhile, skin the garlic and crush.

Skin and chop the onions large (2 cm pieces).

Deseed and chop the capsicum large (2 cm pieces).

Quarter the tomatoes.

When the courgettes are nearly ready, gently heat the oil in a heavy pan, and "sweat" the onions with the crushed garlic for 10 minutes.

Add the peppers.

Dry the courgettes and aubergines, and add to the pan with the herbs.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then simmer very gently with the pan covered for 25 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, let them warm through, and then cook for another 15 minutes uncovered.

Serve from the cooking pan.

Use a tin of tomatoes if necessary.

Some recipes recommend skinning the tomatoes, but this is not usually necessary.

Herbs: fresh basil is nice, dried basil is OK. Other dried herbs like oregano, parsley are OK. Avoid mint as it is too sharp.