The Classic French Ratatouille Recipe

The Classic French Ratatouille Recipe is typical  from the south of France. Its main ingredients are cooked vegetables. It’s a perfect complement for meats and cereals like rice and quinoa. The colorful mix of the ingredients will gladden your eyes and your taste buds.

A great and healthy dish, the Classic French Ratatouille Recipe will help you keeping your weight under control. Great deal!

1) THE HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS CLASSIC FRENCH RATATOUILLE RECIPE

Originally, the ingredientes for the Classic French Ratatouille Recipe are eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions. But, if you want to replace some of them with other vegetables that you like more, it will continue to be a great dish. We love the original recipe, where the ingredients fit perfectly together!

Another detail: traditionally, each ingredient of the Classic French Ratatouille Recipe is cooked separately, preserving their individual flavors. This is the way I cooked it this time. The flavor is indescribable. The last time we did it, the Classic French Ratatouille Recipe was a success even with our neighbors’ kids!

The Classic French Ratatouille Recipe

But I need to confess something…Since many years ago, when we started visiting France, we cook this recipe very frequently. In several of this instances, we cook a variation that is considered an heresy by the French. We prepare all vegetables together in the same pan. We start frying the onion, later the bell peppers and then the tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant, all together. In the daily routine, sometimes is the only solution to eat healthy. And for me, it’s still a Ratatouille.

Should I peel the vegetables of  the Classic French Ratatouille Recipe? This question is also controversial. I didn’t peel anything this time around. Not even the tomatoes. And I loved the result. Some people do cosmetics interventions: they peel pieces of zucchini and eggplant in stripes and then  cut them in cubes…In my opinion, follow your desire and make your own Ratatouille version.

2) THE CLASSIC FRENCH RATATOUILLE RECIPE INGREDIENTS

Ingredients of the Classic French Ratatouille Recipe

-2 medium zucchini;
-1 large eggplant;
-1 red bell pepper;
-1 onion;
-5 garlic cloves;
-1 rosemary branch;
-olive oil;
-salt and pepper;
-thyme.

3) HOW TO COOK THE CLASSIC FRENCH RATATOUILLE RECIPE:

1) Peel the 5 garlic cloves. I use a garlic crusher to add the garlic in each of the steps below.

2) Finely, chop the eggplant in small cubes and put them in a bowl with salt. It is an important step, because the eggplant will not absorb the olive oil and the salt will reduce the bitter of it.

3) Chop the zucchini in small cubes, unpeeled. Put the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry 2 garlic cloves for 30 seconds and add the zucchini, add salt and cook in medium heat for about 10 min, stirring when necessary. Reserve it.

4) Cut the bell pepper in the middle and remove all the seeds. Cut in small stripes. Use the same pan previously used for the zucchini. At first, add the olive oil and  fry a garlic clove for a few seconds. Add the bell peppers and season with salt and thyme. Cook in low heat for 8 minutes, stirring when necessary. Remove from the pan and place with the zucchini.

5) In the same pan, add a bit of olive oil, fry a garlic clove for a few seconds and add the tomatoes, finely chopped. Season with salt and thyme. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring when needed. Remove from the pan and add to the previously cooked zucchini and bell pepper.

6) Wash well and dry the eggplant. Use the same pan and follow the same process, starting with the garlic. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Cook in low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring. Remove and add to the previously cooked ingredients.

BE PATIENT! YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!

7) Same pan, a bit of olive oil, fry the onion until it is transparent. Add everything you cooked so far and a rosemary branch. Don’t  crush it, so you can remove it later. Cover the pan and cook in low heat for 30 minutes.

The Classic French Ratatouille Recipe

8) Taste and set the seasoning.

The Classic French Ratatouille Recipe can be served hot or cold. Enjoy it!!

If you like to cook, try new dishes! Take a look in the other recipes in our site. Take a look at  Rosti Potato with Gruyere Cheese from Switzerland and the famous Wiener Schnietzel from Austria.

PLACES TO GO IN FRANCE

5 DAYS IN PARIS ITINERARY – BEST ATTRACTIONS – PART 1

PARIS: Take a look at the incredible attractions in our 5 DAYS  IN PARIS ITINERARY – BEST ATTRACTIONS – PART 1  and  5 DAYS  IN PARIS ITINERARY – BEST ATTRACTIONS – PART 2 . The best in: architecture, gardens, museums, monuments, gourmet shops and more!  And what about spending  CHRISTMAS IN PARIS? It’s awesome!

Monte Saint Michel na França

MONT ST MICHEL:  It’s magical!  Take a look at THE BEST 13 TIPS OF MONT ST MICHEL IN FRANCE! 

See you soon, best regards!

MEUS DESTINOS IMPERDÍVEIS