Photo by James Ransom
Genius Recipes's Notes:
Expand1 medium or 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice Ask a question about this ingredient
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste Ask a question about this ingredient
2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice Ask a question about this ingredient
4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 bunch of basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
pinch of dried chile flakes Ask a question about this ingredient
2 sweet peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice Ask a question about this ingredient
3 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice Ask a question about this ingredient
3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice Ask a question about this ingredient
Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon or so of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepHeat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside.
Ask a question about this stepIn the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt.
Ask a question about this stepCook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in tomatoes.
Ask a question about this stepCook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt.
Ask a question about this stepStir in the chopped basil leaves and more extra virgin olive oil, to taste. Serve warm or cold.
Ask a question about this stepMade this - love it. Followed the recipe exactly and it was truly amazing. Will be making again and again!
So delicious. Follwed the recipe almost exactly and added a dollop of Jennifer Perillo's "Creamy Homemade Ricotta"- amaziing!!
Finally got around to trying this recipe. Glad I did! It's excellent! Thanks
This is one of my favorite recipes. For brunch or dinner parties, it snazzes up nicely with seared scallops on the side.
I made this for dinner last night and whilst it was delicious, the leftovers I had for lunch today - plus a crusty baguette to mop up all the juices - was phenomenal!
Oh, the heavenly leftovers. It's almost better the second day, slathered over some oven-toasted crostini with some goat cheese.
I made this over the weekend, to serve with pierino's epic "Porchetta." I didn't use bell peppers, but did add some gold zucchini for color, along with some green ones. Great recipe!! ;o)
I've changed up some of the ingredients, too, AJ. The importance seems to be in the layering of ingredients and flavors.
Much easier to make than my old recipe (Julia Child's). We'll be having this weekly while the summer veggies are in season. My husband, not an eggplant eater, gave this a big thumbs up. The leftovers were great served cold for lunch, with a bit of feta and olive oil.
I made this yesterday...fabulous. Very pretty, too. And so much easier than my old standby recipe, which involved many hours and many, many bowls. This recipe's a keeper!
Loved this. I am usually hesitant to take on eggplant but everything came together really well. I peeled my eggplants. The combo of the peeling and the salting made the eggplant sweet and silky. Thanks for highlighting this!
Just moved to Paris and this was the first dish I made. And the second. If only I had the fridge space to stockpile for the winter...
Perfect timing...... Alice is celebrating forty years of Chez Panisse this weekend. This is a lovely tribute to her unending talent, inventiveness, and consistent belief in the fresh, the local, the belief in the ingredients themselves (and the belief that we all can make fabulous food like she and her staff turn out.
Better than any ratatouille I've tasted--small dice is nice, better flavor and not soupy at all.
I followed the recipe except for using yellow squash. Eggplant absorbed enough salt, so I only added pepper.
Great supper dish--served with cantaloupe, lime, pepper salad.
I cooked this up with a few changes, and added some herbes de provence, yellow squash and roasted cherry tomatoes! It tasted good to me, really simple and a great way to use up lots of vegetables.
I made this with yellow squash that I had leftover from a CSA box instead of the peppers, used dried basil instead of fresh (I didn't have any at home), and added a dash of herbes de provence. It was simple and tasty--and a great way to use up a bunch of vegetables!
Sorry, didn't mean to post two comments!
Another terrific Genius Recipe! Alice Waters knows how to do it right, that's for sure. Kristen, I look forward to your column each week. :)
All those ingredients are in my garden right now! I make this a couple times a week. What is genius about Alice Waters is that this is what she is all about. There is nothing exotic about the ingredients or difficult in the method. Her recipes are so simple you think...I can do this.
Your take on Ms. Waters is spot on, dymnyno!! The title of her book, "The Art of Simple Food," says it all. ;o)
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
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It's a shame every pizza ad in the 1980s used these vegetables as food styling props. Don't worry -- they get an update here.
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First up: the eggplant, which is the only vegetable that gets special treatment. Slicing it into 1/2-inch rings first sets you up well for a full on 1/2-inch dice.
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Salt + a time-out for about 20 minutes helps draw the moisture and bitterness out.
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While you wait, turn to your basil bouquet -- tie it snug so no sprigs can escape.
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All mise en placed -- feels good, doesn't it?
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After a pat down with paper towels, the now much-less-perky eggplant gets first dibs on the pan to brown on its own.
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Scoop them out when they're nice and golden -- but they'll be back.
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Generous onion and garlic start this ratatouille off on the right foot.
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Now it's time to add your basil bouquet -- doesn't it look proud?
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Next up, peppers! Only for a couple minutes.
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Then zucchini, for a couple minutes more.
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Finally tomatoes -- a 10 minute simmer breaks them down into a fresh sauce that will cling to the other vegetables.
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The eggplant returns! Now it's time for them to partake of their "brief communal simmer." 10-15 minutes, tops.
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Meanwhile, chop up the final basil garnish. Stack those leaves!
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Now roll them like a cigar -- because we all roll our own cigars, of course. (Don't mind that rogue pinkie -- he's just showing off.)
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This is how you chiffonade -- not strictly necessary, but it sure is fun. And, since it makes a cleaner cut, it helps keep the leaves from bruising when your knives are less than sharp.
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One more chop to turn the curlicue basil ribbons into confetti.
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Farewell, basil mop.
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Hello, ratatouille.
Make the original often. We lightly toss the eggplant in a tiny amount of oil and then bake rather than cook in pan. Reduces the oil in the entire dish and the eggplant retains its structural integrity. Dish is much better the second day.