Oven-Baked Ratatouille

The original “What do we have on hand?” recipe: You combine vegetables, herbs, and olive oil, in various proportions, and cook them on the stove or in the oven until very soft. Since it’s widely considered a dish from Provence, zucchini (and/or eggplant) and tomatoes are frequently present, but there are really very few rules, except longish, slow cooking and lots of good olive oil; herbs help too. Choose herbs based on availability, but if I had my choice, I’d use a teaspoon of thyme or marjo ram for the cooking and garnish with a handful of basil or parsley. Other vegetables you can use: Obviously, you can stew whatever you want, but potatoes and mushrooms are the most common additions that I haven’t included here.

11/2 to 2 pounds eggplant, preferably small, sliced 1/2 inch thick and salted if time allows (see page 293)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more for garnish

2 large onions, sliced

1 pound zucchini, trimmed and cut into large chunks

2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced

4 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped, or 2 round tomatoes (drained canned are fine)

Fresh herbs such as thyme, marjoram, rosemary, savory, basil, parsley, and/or chervil, to taste, plus more for garnish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 cloves garlic, halved

• Heat the oven to 350F. If you salted the eggplant, squeeze out excess liquid, then rinse and dry.
• Film a casserole or heavy ovenproof skillet with a couple tablespoons of the olive oil, then make a layer of onion, followed by one of eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and half the garlic (the order doesn’t matter at all). Repeat.
• Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and put in the oven.
• Bake for about 1 hour, pressing down on the vegetables occasionally with a spatula, until they are all completely tender. Garnish with more herbs, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
  Stovetop Mixed Vegetables with Olive Oil.
  • This requires a little more attention: Combine all the ingredients in the largest skillet you have (a broad saucepan will work also) and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, adjusting the heat so the mixture simmers in its own juices without browning. Cooking will be just a little quicker, perhaps 45 minutes or so.
  Roasted Vegetables, Catalonian Style.
  • Best served at room temperature: Reduce the olive oil to 1/4 cup and omit the herbs. Toss the vegetables in the olive oil and roast. Proceed with the recipe. When the vegetables are cooled, toss with 2 tablespoons sherry or other good vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• MAKES: 4 to 6 servings
• TIME: about 11/2 hours, largely unattended