Ratatouille

Ratatouille Niçoise

A traditional Provençal vegetable stew from Nice, where summer vegetables are slowly cooked until soft, jammy, and glossy with olive oil. Serve hot as a main with crusty bread, or cold the next day when the flavours have deepened.

Prep

25 min

Cook

60 min

Total

85 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •120 ml (½ cup) olive oil, extra-virgin Provençal if possible, divided
• •1 large onion, finely diced
• •4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• •1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into 2 cm strips
• •1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into 2 cm strips
• •1 medium aubergine, cut into 2 cm cubes; no salting required
• •2 medium courgettes, cut into 2 cm thick half-moons
• •600 g (about 1½ lb) ripe tomatoes, fresh, peeled and roughly chopped; canned San-Marzano (400 g / 14 oz) is an acceptable substitute
• •15 g (¼ oz (about 1 Tbsp)) tomato paste, optional, for deeper colour and umami
• •2 tsp herbes de Provence, thyme, rosemary, oregano and savory blend
• •1 large bay leaf
• •fine sea salt, to taste
• •freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• •fresh basil leaves, small handful, torn, to finish
• •flat-leaf parsley, optional, chopped, to finish

Steps

1. 1 Heat 60 ml (¼ cup) of the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook gently for 8–10 minutes until translucent and soft, but not browned.
2. 2 Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the bell peppers. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the peppers begin to soften.
3. 3 Add the aubergine and the remaining 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil. Stir to coat, then cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the aubergine has absorbed some of the oil and begun to turn translucent at the edges.
4. 4 Stir in the courgette and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste (if using), herbes de Provence and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
5. 5 Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Partially cover and cook for 35–45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft, the liquid has reduced to a glossy, jammy sauce, and the oil is pooling slightly at the edges. The mixture should look like a thick, cohesive stew rather than a watery soup - if it is still loose, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes.
6. 6 Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in the torn basil (and parsley, if using) just before serving.
7. 7 Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled, with crusty bread, rice, or as a side to grilled fish or roast chicken. Like many stews, ratatouille tastes even better the next day once the flavours have had time to meld.