Ratatouille Niçoise (Grandpa's Traditional French Recipe)
- diandracappelut
- Jul 26, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 28, 2023
Ratatouille is an absolute French classic.
You can use it as a side dish to pretty much anything! Chicken, fish, prawns, duck... whatever your heart desires.
It is full of good vegetables and packed with flavor, which means that it's crazy delicious AND healthy - 100% guilt-free.
Unlike many other French recipes that are butter-focused, this dish uses olive oil, mainly because it originated from Provence - a region in southeastern France bordering Italy and the Mediterranean Sea. The ratatouille is in fact considered more of a Mediterranean dish, using olive oil just like a standard Mediterranean diet.
The Four Key Ingredients
There are four main vegetables that go into a traditional ratatouille:
Eggplants
Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
Zucchinis
The amount of each vegetable has to be equal to one another, and they must be accompanied by onions and garlic.
The secret to a good ratatouille - like any meal really - is GOOD, FRESH PRODUCE. This is a must!
Our Way of Cooking The Vegetables - "One at a Time"
My grandpa says that there are actually many ways to cook a ratatouille. Some cook all the vegetables at the same time in one giant pot, while others - like my grandpa - cook each vegetable individually first before then bringing them all back together in the pot for one last mix.
Why does my Grandpa cook each vegetable separately? Cause each vegetable cooks at a different rate, and to prevent the ratatouille from being a big fat mush in the end, he just prefers to cook them separately. "It's a personal choice", he says.
One thing to note: In the end, when you mix all the vegetables together, you have to fold them gently into one another - again, to prevent it from being a big fat mush.
Next-Day Meal: Piperade
Got some ratatouille leftovers? Don't throw it away!
It's good to store in the fridge for a few days, and if you want to jazz it up, you can turn it into a Piperade - which is basically an egg scramble with leftover ratatouille in it. Absolutely delicious!
What equipment do I need to make Ratatouille?
All you need is a nice, big stew pot to fit all the vegetables! Preferably one that's non-stick and has a cover.
That's it, you guys! You're good to go and I hope you enjoy this ratatouille recipe.
Don't forget to tag me in your photos on Instagram once you've made the dish - @diandracappelut.
I would love to see how your ratatouille turns out!
Ratatouille Niçoise
(My Grandpa's Traditional French Recipe)
For 6-8 People
Ingredients
2 Eggplants
2 Red Bell Peppers
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
6 Tomatoes
2 Zucchini
4 Onions
1 head of Garlic
1 tablespoon Dried Rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon Dried Basil leaves
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper, to season
The "Mise En Place" (aka, put everything in place!)
There's a bit of chopping to do, so let's start with preparing the ingredients. Once prepared, put them to the side, ready for the cooking portion.
The Eggplant
Cut the eggplants into thick strips (follow the images below).
Cut one onion into slices, then roughly chop 3 garlic cloves. Put it to the side.
(Slide right to see more pics)
The Bell Peppers
Deseed the bell peppers, then cut them into strips.
Cut one onion into slices, then roughly chop 3 garlic cloves. Put it to the side.
(Slide right to see more pics)
The Tomatoes
Deseed the tomatoes, then cut them into quarters.
Cut one onion into slices, then roughly chop 3 garlic cloves. Put it to the side.
(Slide right to see more pics)
The Zucchini
Cut the zucchini into slices.
Cut one onion into slices, then roughly chop 3 garlic cloves. Put it to the side.
(Slide right to see more pics)
How to Cook the Ratatouille
* Vegetable by Vegetable!
The Eggplant:
In a big stew pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the onions and garlic you've prepared for the eggplants. Season with salt and pepper, then stir and let it cook until translucent and slightly golden.
Add in the eggplant, mix well with the onions and garlic, then cover the pot. Let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. *Open the cover and stir once in a while to prevent burning and to check the doneness.
Once the eggplant is cooked and tender (do the fork test - if a fork pierces through the eggplant easily, your eggplant is done. If it doesn't, let it cook some more), strain it and put it to the side.
The Bell Pepper:
Repeat the same process with the bell pepper. In the same big stew pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the onions and garlic you've prepared for the peppers. Season with salt and pepper, then stir and let it cook until translucent and slightly golden.
Add in the bell peppers, mix well with the onions and garlic, then cover the pot. Let it cook for about 5-7 minutes. *Open the cover and stir once in a while to prevent burning and to check the doneness.
Once the peppers are cooked and tender (do the fork test - if a fork pierces through the peppers easily, your peppers are done), strain it and put it to the side.
The Tomatoes
Repeat again. In the same big stew pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the onions and garlic you've prepared for the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir and let it cook until translucent and slightly golden.
Add in the tomatoes, mix well with the onions and garlic, then cover the pot. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes. *Open the cover and stir once in a while to prevent burning and to check the doneness.
Once the peppers are cooked (it shouldn't be a complete tomato sauce, you should still be able to see the tomato shape), strain it and put it to the side.
The Zucchini & Putting it All Together
Repeat one last time. In the same big stew pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the onions and garlic you've prepared for the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, then stir and let it cook until translucent and slightly golden.
Add in the zucchini, mix well with the onions and garlic, then cover the pot. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. *Open the cover and stir once in a while to prevent burning and to check the doneness.
Once the zucchini is cooked and tender (do the fork test - if a fork pierces through the zucchini easily, your zucchini is done), add in the rest of the cooked vegetables - eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes - back in the pot.
Turn down the heat to low, then gently mix the vegetables together (don't mash up the vegetables - BE GENTLE!). Next, add in the dried rosemary and basil leaves and gently mix again.
Serve & Bon Appétit!
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