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Ratatouille Provençale

A little taste of summer in Provence

There are recipes that don’t need to be complicated to be good. Ratatouille is one of them.

In summer here in Provence, tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and peppers seem to be everywhere — in the markets, in the garden, and inevitably all over my kitchen.

Ratatouille is one of my favourite ways to bring them together. It’s colourful, generous and tastes even better after it has had a little time to rest.

ratatouille-4x3

Ratatouille Provençale

A simple Provençal summer classic made with aubergines, courgettes, peppers, ripe tomatoes and herbs.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 aubergines
  • 2 courgettes
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp herbes de Provence
  • a few fresh basil leaves
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

Prepare the vegetables
  1. Wash all the vegetables.
  2. Cut the aubergines, courgettes and peppers into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the tomatoes, slice the onion and finely chop the garlic.
Start with the onion
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Cook the vegetables
  1. Add the aubergines and peppers first. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add the courgettes and cook for another 5 minutes.
  3. Finally, add the tomatoes, remaining olive oil and herbes de Provence.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.
Let everything simmer
  1. Lower the heat, cover partially and simmer gently for about 30–40 minutes.
  2. Stir occasionally, but not too much — you still want to see the individual vegetables rather than turning everything into a sauce.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Finish with fresh basil just before serving.
    5. Ratatouille is even better the next day.
    Make a big pot, let it cool and keep it in the fridge overnight. The flavours have time to mingle, and somehow the whole dish becomes richer.

How I like to serve it

Serve it warm alongside grilled meat or fish, spoon it over rice, eat it with crusty French bread — or simply put a fried egg on top for an easy lunch.

And yes, I sometimes eat it cold straight from the fridge.

No judgement here.

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