Tuscan Ratatouille
I got this recipe at a cooking class with a chef in the beautiful Italian medieval, Renaissance town Montepulciano. Chef Luca Biancucci stressed the importance of peeling the aubergine as the skin can be quite bitter.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
3 courgettes
1 aubergine
1 red pepper
1 red onion
olive oil
few strands of fresh thyme (dried leaves if you have no fresh)
Method
Prepare vegetables by thinly slicing the onion, dicing the courgettes and red pepper and peeling and dicing the aubergine
Heat a large fry pan with ½ tablespoon olive oil, the chopped onion and a strand of thyme leaves
When the onion is clear, add the courgettes and cook until they are beginning to but not completely softened. Remove to a large bowl and return the pan to the heat.
Repeat the process with the aubergine and red pepper adding to the courgette mix once each is cooked.
Serve while hot.
Goes well as a side dish to grilled or barbequed chicken, beef, lamb and pork!
Left overs reheat well and are a great breakfast, especially topped with a poached or fried egg.
