Ratatouille Provencale
Ingredients:
- 3 onions, sliced
- 4 aubergines, sliced and drained
- 4 courgettes, sliced
- 500g tomatoes, chopped
- 2 peppers, chopped
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- Bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme)
- Salt and pepper
Method
In a large frying pan heat half a cup of the oil. Add the vegetables separately starting with the aubergines. Gently sauté until beginning to turn golden. Transfer them to a large saucepan or cast iron casserole (the sort you can use on an electric hob or over a gas flame). Sauté the courgettes and add them to the saucepan/casserole without mixing them. Sauté the tomatoes, onions and peppers together and add them to the saucepan/casserole, still without mixing. Put the garlic and bouquet garlic on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and leave to simmer over very low heat for 1hr to 1-1/2hrs. If there is too much liquid remove the lid half way through the cooking time.
(it’s very important to layer the vegetables and resist the temptation to mix them all up as they will cook better like this and will be less likely to stick to the bottom of the pot. If you have one of those Teflon baking sheets you can use that to line the bottom of the casserole).