Ratatouille Casserole
Submitted by usnamon
Ratatouille casserole with layers of pre-roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and sauteed peppers baked with fresh herbs. A light, Provencal-style vegetable bake.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20COOK
READY
This ratatouille takes the layered casserole approach rather than the stewed-together method, which means each vegetable keeps its own identity. Eggplant, yellow squash, and zucchini get pre-roasted on sheet pans before they go into the casserole. That roasting step drives out moisture and concentrates flavor, so the finished dish isn’t a watery mess.
Between each layer of vegetables, a fresh herb blend of parsley, basil, and thyme gets sprinkled in. The herbs don’t cook into the vegetables so much as perfume the steam that builds under the foil during the covered bake. When you uncover for the final 15 minutes, the top layer crisps slightly while the herbs finish melding into each layer.
The whole thing uses just 4 teaspoons of olive oil total, split across roasting and sauteeing. It’s a naturally light dish that gets its richness from technique, not fat.
Kitchen Tips
- Slice all vegetables to ¼-inch thickness for even cooking and neat layers. Thick slices stay crunchy, thin ones dissolve.
- Roast eggplant, squash, and zucchini separately since they cook at different rates. Mixing them on one sheet means some are perfect and others are mush.
- Cover tightly with foil for the 50-minute bake. The steam trapped inside gently braises the layers together.
- Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before serving so the layers set slightly and hold their shape when scooped.
Variations
- Parmesan crust: Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top before the uncovered bake for a golden, savory crust.
- Goat cheese dollops: Drop spoonfuls of goat cheese between layers for creamy pockets of tang throughout.
- Provencal olives: Tuck halved Nicoise or Kalamata olives between the layers for a briny, Mediterranean addition.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.
Spray nonstick baking sheet and a 1 quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray.
In medium bowl, combine eggplant and 1 teaspoon of the oil; toss to coat.
On prepared baking sheet, arrange eggplant slices in a single layer.
Repeat procedure with squash, then zucchini, tossing each with 1 teaspoon of the oil and arrange each separately in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake 12 minutes; turn vegetables and bake 8 minutes longer.
Reduce oven temperature to 350℉ (180℃).
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil; add onion, red pepper and garlic.
Saut? over medium heat, 5 minutes, until onion is soft.
Cook covered, shaking pan occasionally, 5 minutes longer.
In small bowl, combine tomato paste and ½ cup of water; set aside.
In separate small bowl, combine parsley, basil, thyme, salt and pepper.
In prepared casserole, arrange half of the baked eggplant slices, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture.
Continue layering with half of each of the sliced tomato, baked squash, onion mixture and baked zucchini, sprinkling 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture between each layer.
Repeat procedure, ending with zucchini.
Pour tomato paste mixture over layered vegetables.
Bake covered with foil, 50 minutes.
Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer.
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