How to cook a Ratatouille

When you saw the movie Ratatouille did you think to yourself "I never knew that was called a Ratatouille," or did you say "that's not how mom's Ratatouille looks?"

My grandmother's Ratatouille looks different. She always served it in a casserole with plenty of sauce, not on a dish to picked with a fork.

This Ratatouille recipe is for a serving of four to six persons. It cooks in 45-50 minutes. You can barbecue over a grid in a casserole, if you plan to serve it with barbecued meat.

Ingredients
1/2 cup (85 ml) olive or salad oil
1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 large green capsicums, seeded and chopped
1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced
1 extra clove garlic, crushed
250 g (1/2 lb) zucchini, sliced
4 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper

Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole with the sliced garlic.

Add in layers the onions, capsicums, eggplant, extra garlic, zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper.

Pour the remainder of the oil over the top.

Cover and cook over low heat for 40-45 minutes to bring out the flavors.

Remove lid and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.

There you have it, your very own Ratatouille, which looks different from the movie, but as rich in flavor as a spring day.

Suggestion: Serve your Ratatouile hot with barbecued meat.